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THE MAYFLOWER-GALATEA CONTEST, l886. 

\The artist has chosen that part of the race of September -jt/i, when '' Mayflower" set her balloon jib, 

immediately upon rounding the Lightshipi] 


N 


YACHTS AND YACHTING 


WITH OVER ONE HUNDRED AND TEN 
ILLUSTRATIONS 


FRED^ St COZZENS 


AND OTHERS 



CASSELL & COMPANY, Limited, 

739 & 741 BROADWAY, NEW YORK. 


Copyright, 

1887, 

By O. M. DUNHAM. 


All Rights Reserved, 


CONTENTS 


I 


The History of American Yachting. By Captain R. F. Coffin. 

I. Early Days of the New York Yacht Club, . . . ii 

II. From 1859 to 1870, , 27 

III. The International Period, 43 

IV. From 1871 to 1876, 58 

V. From 1876 to 1878, • • 73 

VI. From 1878 to 1885, ....... 117 

The Mayflower and Galatea Races of 1886. By Charles E. Clay, 103 
American Steam Yachting. By Edward S. Jaffray, . . 115 

British Yachting. By C. J. C. McAlster, . . . . 141 



I ■ 


/ 


r • 


r 



r 



( 


y 


■ 




r 







LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 


Mayflower and Galatea Contest, 

PAGE. 

. 



Frontispiece. 

. PAGE. 

Adrienne, .... 


66 

Fleetwing, 




27 

Aida, .... 



Fortune, . 




• 63 

Alpha, .... 



Frolic, 




• 53 

America, .... 


22 

Galatea, . 




106, 141 

America’s Cup, The, 


io8 

Gertrude, 




. 158 

Atalanta, .... 


119 

Gimcrack, 




• 15 

Athlon, .... 


74 

Gitana, 




. 82 

Atlantic, .... 


93 

Grade, 




• 39 

Bedouin, .... 


87 

Grayling, . 




62 

Bianca, .... 


44 

Halcyon, . 




• 32 

Buttercup, 

' 

153 

Hassan Steam Launch, 


. 117 

Camilla, .... 


117 

Henrietta, 




20 

Carlotta, .... 


147 

Hope, 




- 56 

Clytie', .... 


61 

Hornet, 




17 

Constance, 


149 

Intrepid, . 




■ 55 

Comet, .... 


34 

lone. 




• 151 

Corsair, .... 


1 16 

Irex, 




• t 43 

Course, The (Mayflower and Galatea 


Isis, 




• 59 

Races), 


104 

Julia, 




19 

Crocodile, 


78 

La Coquille, 




14 

Cygnet, .... 


1 1 

Lorna, 




. 158 

Dawn, .... 


148 

Lucky, 




• 25 

Diagram of Yachts, 


105 

Madeleine, 




. 28 

Diane, .... 


152 

Madge, 




75 

Dreadnaught, . 


33 

Maggie, . 




. 88 

Egefia, .... 


156 

Magic, 




' . 48 

Electra, .... 


122 

Maria, 




18, 38 

Enchantress, 


40 

Marjorie, . 




. 150 

Estelle, .... 


60 

Maud, 




• 38 

Fanita, .... 


67 

Mayflower, 




. 107 

Fanny (sloop). 


47 

Miranda, . 




• 144 

Fanny (Boston), 


51 

Mischief, 




. 69 


11 


LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Mist, 

Montauk, .... 

Namouna, .... 

“ Deck of the, . 

Nooya, 

“ Deck View, . 
Nourmahal, .... 
“ The Bridge, . 

“ Working Drawings, 

“ The Officers’ Room. 

Orienta, 

Oriva, 

Painting the Boat, . 

Palmer, 

Pastime, ..... 

Polynia, 

Priscilla, 

Promise, 

Queen Mab, .... 

Rad ha, 

Ray, 

Rebecca, 

Samoena, 


PAGE. 


Sappho, 31 

Sentinel, . . . . . .121 

Shadow, 76 

Spray, 13 

Stiletto, 133 

Stranger, 91 

Sunbeam, . . . . .129 

Sybil, 12 

Tara, 154 

Thetis, 54 

Uledia, 146 

Una, . . . . . .21 

Utowana, . . . . .118 

Vesta, 36 

Viking, 125 

Vixen, 35 

Wanda, . . . . . .126 

Wanderer, 37 

Water Witch, 157 

Whisper, 135 

White Wing 45 

Yacht Stations of the British Isles, 142 
Zoe, . . • . . . .80 


I'AGE. 

16 

70 

135 

134 

126 

127 

135 

137 

136 

132 

131 

92 

130 

52 

1 20 

133 

95 

128 

145 

133 

24 

30 

155 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


jrt>V 












THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


BV CAPTAIN R. F. COFFIN, 

Author of “The America’s Cuh,” “Old Sailor Yarns,” etc., etc. 


I. 


EARLY DAYS OF THE NEV/ -YORK YACHT 
CLUB. 

The history of the New York Yacht 
Club, for the first sixteen years of its ex- 
istence at least, is practically the history 
of American yachting. For the first five 
years it was the only yacht club in the 
United States. The Southern yacht club, 
with its head-quarters at New Orleans and 
its racing course on Lake Ponchartrain, 
was the second club organized, but it was 
purely a local organization ; its yachts 
were small open boats, and it had no real 
national influence. The third club was 
the Neptune, at the Highlands, organized 
in 1850, one year later than the Southern; 
but it was rather a fishing than a yachting 
club, and like the Southern, its boats were 
for the most part open centerboards of 
small size. It may have had 
an occasional race on the 
Shrewsbury River, but it 
was simply a summer organi- 
zation, and, except in name, 
had none of the character- 
istics of a regular yachting 
organization. The Carolina 
club, with head-quarters at 
Wilmington (if I am not 
mistaken). North Carolina, 
ranks fourth in point 
of age, but was of 
no importance ex- 
cept, perhaps, 
locally. It was 
organized in 1854, 


but it was not until the Brooklyn Yacht Club 
was organized in 185.7, that there was any- 
thing like a yacht club, in the present signifi- 
cance of the term, in all the United States. 
It had its head-quarters at the head of 
Gowanus Bay, and was naturally an asso- 
ciation of the gentlemen who had, for sev- 
eral years previous, made this the anchor- 
age for their pleasure craft. This locality 
was then, and for a long time afterwards 
continued to be, the principal place for 
boat sailing in the city of Brooklyn. The 
Brooklyn was from the first a real yacht 





MR. W. EDGAR'S “ CVCNET, 



12 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


MR. C. B. miller’s 


“sybil.” 



club, as was also the Jersey City, which 
was organized in 1858, and which was the 
natural associating together of gentlemen 
who were in the daily habit, during the 
summer, of sailing their boats from along 
the shores of Communipaw Bay. From 
this time on, for seven years. New York 
was the home of yachting, no club being 
organized in any other waters; but in 
1865, the Boston (^ub was organized, and 
this is the oldest club in the New England 
States. By this time, the Brooklyn club 


had grown large enough to put out an off- 
shoot, and a few of its members withdrew 
from it and organized the Atlantic, which 
is the eighth yachting organization in this 
country, having been organized in 1866. 
In 1867, the Columbia club was organized 
on the West side of the town, having its 
head-quarters at the foot of Christopher 
street — if I remember aright — and, like 
the Brooklyn and Jersey City, it was a nat- 
ural association of gentlemen who had 
been in the habit of keeping their boats 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


13 


there, and sailing thence on the Hudson 
River. Its boats were open centerboards 
for the most part, but it has always been a 
respectable and, with some few exceptional 
years such as occur in the history of most 
of the yachting organizations, it has been 
prosperous. It has a nice club house and 
excellent anchorage now, at the foot of 
West Eighty-fourth street. It was organ- 
ized in 1867, and in the same year the 
San Francisco club, at the Golden Gate, 
came into existence. The South Boston 
was started in 1868, the second in New 
England, and the Bunker Hill and Port- 
land in 1869 — a total of but fifteen yacht 
clubs in all the United States. In that year 
Mr. Ashbury, with the British schooner 
Cambria, came to race for the America’s 
Cup, and this gave an 
impetus to yachting, 
which, aided by other 
causes, has continued to 
the present time, and has 
caused the multiplication 
of clubs, so that there 


American yachting ; for down to the year 
1885 no other club ever attempted any- 
thing more than mere local effort. Each 
organization had its club house and an- 
chorage, its regattas, or more properly 
speaking, matches, over its regular course, 
one or more times a year, and that was all. 

Very few had yachts large enough, in 
number sufficient, to essay a squadron 
cruise previous to 1870. I doubt if any of 
them except the Brooklyn had, and as for 
ocean races, or private matches, for valua- 



MR. H. WILKES* “ SPRAY.” 


are now over one hundred and twenty of 
these organizations, and they are increasing 
rapidly in all parts of the country, each of 
the great lake ports having its club; while 
in the New England States they are more 
numerous than in any other section of the 
country, and Boston, to-day, is more of a 
yachting center than New York itself. 

Still, the history of the New York Yacht 
Club is to a great extent the history of 


ble prizes, all that sort of thing was left 
alone to the New York club, which from 
the first has displayed an enterprise and a 
boldness worthy of the great city of its 
home and name. 

I don’t think that the early history of 
the club events has ever been written. I, 
certainly, have never seen or heard of any- 
thing of the kind, and then I think a brief 
sketch will be of interest. In no other 


14 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


manner can the early history of American 
yachting be as well told. 

Organized July 30, 1844, the New York 
Yacht club had its first regatta July 16, 
1845. Its first rating for allowance of 
time was per ton, of custom house meas- 
urement, and the allowance was forty-five 
seconds per ton. Its first course was from 


forty-five tons ; about sixty feet long per- 
haps. 

Evidently the schooner was the favorite 
rig, as it has been ever since, with some 
exceptions, and as it will probably be 
again, unless the steam yacht take the 
schooner’s place and the sailing yacht, kept 
purely for racing, be confined to the single- 


MR. JOHN C. jay’s “ LA COQUILLE.” 



a stake-boat off Robbins Reef, to a stake- 
boat off Bay Ridge, L. I.; thence to a stake- 
boat off Stapleton, S. I.; thence to and 
around the Southwest Spit buoy, returning 
over the same course. Presumably, every 
yacht in the club started, for it was the 
first regatta ever sailed in this country. I 
don’t know whether or not this was the 
case, and it is of no importance ; but they 
had a very respectable fleet in point of 
number, although none of the starters were 
of any great size, the largest being but 


stick boats. The schooner rig, however, is 
so much handier, that it is sure to be pre- 
ferred for a vessel kept solely for pleasure 
sailing. 

Let us see who the starters were in this 
first regatta, and who owned them : 
Schooner Cygnet (45), Mr. \V. Edgar ; 
Sybil (42), Mr. C. B. Miller ; Spray (37), 
Mr. H. Wilkes ; La Coquille (27), Mr. John 
C. Jay; Minna (30), Mr. J. Waterbury ; 
Gimcrack, Mr. J. C. Stevens. 

Sloops : Newburgh (33), Mr. H. Robin- 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


15 


son ; Adda (17), Mr. J. Rogers ; Lancet 
(20), Mr. G. B. Rollins. 

These, then, were the men, and their 
yachts with which the New York Yacht 
Club went into business in 1845. The only 
yachts timed at the finish were the Cygnet, 
which won, in 5h. 23m. 15s., the Sybil, 
coming second, in 5h. 25m. 25s.; and the 
Gimcrack, in 5h. 30m. 30s. The prize was 
as good a cup as could be purchased with 
the entrance money, which was, I think, 
$25 for each yacht. Schooners and sloops 
were classed together, and there was no 
allowance for difference of rig. The 
schooner had no foretopmast, and of 
course that stick-breaking sail, the jib top- 
sail, was unknown, as was also the club 
topsail. These were later inventions. In 
fact I doubt whether the schooners sported 
such a thing as a staysail on this occasion. 
The sloop had a short bowsprit and short 
topmast and no jib-boom. 

The regatta was a great event, and was 


witnessed by thousands of people, all New 
York, who could get there, being on the 
water. Now-a-days an ordinary club re- 
gatta attracts few besides club members, 
and old yachtsmen shake their heads gloom- 
ily, and lament the decadence of American 
yachting, saying that all interest in the 
sport is dying out ; but in point of fact, 
there was never as much interest as at 
present ; only now it is diffused, then it 
was concentrated. In those early years of 
American yachting, the regatta day, or 
days, of the New York Yacht Club were 
almost general holidays among the men 
of large business, brokers and jobbers ; and 
every craft that could float, from the skiff 
to the large excursion steamer, was 
brought into requisition for spectators. 

Before the next summer arrived, the 
club had built itself a house at the Elysian 
Fields, Hoboken ; and for more than 
twenty years the start and finish of its 
races were off this place, thousands of 



STEVENS’ “gimcrack. 


t6 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


people congregating there to see the fin- 
ishes. The house then built still stands, 
and is now used as a club head-quarters 
by the New Jersey Yacht Club, which sails 
its races over very nearly the same course 
as that adopted in 1846 by the New York 
club, on the occasion of its second match. 


MIST.” 

This course was from a stake-boat off the 
Elysian Fields, to a stake-boat off Staple- 
ton S. I. ; thence to a stake-boat off the 
Long Island shore, and thence to the 
Southwest Spit, returning over the same 
course. For this, there started : the 
schooners Lancet, Gimcrack, La Coquille, 
Minna, Brenda, Spray, Sybil, Cygnet, Pet, 
Northern Light, Siren and Coquette, with 
the sloops Newburgh and Mist. The 


largest schooner was Mr. J. H. Perkins’ 
Coquette (76), and the largest sloop was Mr. 
L. Depau’s Mist (44). The only yacht 
which made the course inside of the limit 
of eight hours was the sloop Mist, which 
did it in 7h. 37m., winning the prize, 
this time offered by the club, and which 
was of the value 
of $200 ; and this 
is called in the club 
annals its “ first 
annual' regatta.” 
Why, I don’t know, 
since, as we have 
seen, there had 
been one during 
the previous sum- 
mer. The allow- 
ance was the same 
as before — forty- 
five seconds to the 
ton — and schooner 
and sloop, all went 
in together, the 
sloop as we have 
seen, getting the 
best of it. The 
club had another 
race the next day, 
July 18, 1846 ; but 
the two days are 
properly classed 
by the club as one 
regatta. This time 
the starters were : 
Schooners, Gim- 
crack, Hortiet, 
Minna, Brenda, 
Cygnet, Siren and 
Coquette, and the 
sloops, Pearsall, 
Mist, Ami Maria 
and Dart. I think 
that the Pearsall, 
Ann Maria and 
Dart were work- 
ing vessels, allowed 
to come in on even 
terms with the club 
boats. The course 
was the same, and it was for many years 
the regular club course. The Gimcrack, 
finished first. Mist second, Hornet third. 
Dart fourth ; Mr. A. Barker’s schooner 
Hornet (25), winning, on allowance of time, 
a piece of silver valued at $200. 

There has been some little boasting on 
the part of the Seawanhaka club over a 
claim that they were the first to introduce 
“ Corinthian ” racing, and so fearful have 



THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


17 



its members been that their superiority in 
this respect would be lost sight of in the 
now almost general adoption of this method, 
either in whole or in part, that some years 
ago they tacked the word “ Corinthian ” on 
to their originally beautiful Indian name 
“ Seawanhaka,” making a clumsy and cum- 
bersome title out of their first extremely 
appropriate name ; and I suppose few, if 
any, of these young gentlemen are aware 
that on the 6th day of October, 1846, the 
New York club sailed a match for a cup, 
subscribed for by members, the rule being — 
I quote literally — “ none but club members 
allowed to sail or handle the boats, but 
each yacht may carry a pilot.” They could 
not even have their sailing-master, except 
as pilot, which is further in the “ Corin- 
thian ” line than even the Seawanhakas 
have ever gone. 

The course was from a stake-boat off the 
Elysian Fields to a stake-boat off Fort 
Washington Point ; thence to a stake-boat 
anchored in the Narrows, returning to the 
place of starting, a distance of forty miles, 
with an allowance of 25 seconds per ton. 


It was in this race that the sloop Maria — 
afterwards celebrated — made her first ap- 
pearance. She was 160 tons, and was 
owned and sailed by Mr. John C. Stevens, 
who was then commodore of the club. 
The other ‘‘ Corinthians ” were the sloop 
Lancet, and the schooners Siren, Cygnet, 
Spray and La Coquille. The wind was a 
strong breeze from southwest, and the 
Maria won, beating the Siren 58m. 15s. 
actual time. 

Four days later, namely, October 10, 
1846, the first ocean race ever sailed by 
yachts, came off. It was a match for 
$1,000 a side — pretty good that for a club 
only two years old — between the sloop 
Maria (and this time she is entered at 154 
tons) and the schooner Coquette, the course 
being 25 miles to windward and return, 
the wind strong from the northeast, and 
the boats went from the buoy at the en- 
trance of Gedney’s Channel to a stake-boat 
off the south ends of the Woodlands. The 
Maria started with double-reefed mainsail 
and bonnet off of the jib, the schooner car- 
rying all sail all through the race. Evi- 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 





dently the wind was too strong for the 
sloop ; but it was a close race, the schooner 
winning in 6h. 35m. 30s. ; the sloop 7h. im. 

These were yachting years evidently, and 
next year, viz., 1847, they got at it early, 
the schooners Sybil (42), Mr. C. Miller, 
and the Cygnet (45), Mr. D. L. Suydam, 
sailing a match on the 25th of May, for 
$500 a side, over the regular club course, 
and the Sybil won. 

On the 31st of May, 1867, which now-a- 
days is our great opening day, there was 
another match race sailed for $500 a side, 
between Mr. William Edgar’s schooner 
Cornelia (90), and Mr. D. L. Suydam’s 
schooner Cygnet (45), over the regular 
club cour.se. The Cornelia grounded 
off Ellis’ Island, going down, and, of 
course, the Cygnet won. 

At the regular regatta, this 
year, which took place June 2, 
the sloop Una, afterwards so 
celebrated, and after which, 
it was thought by some, 
the sloop Puritan was 
modeled, sailed her 
first race. She was 


Then there was a class for outside vessels, 
in which there were four starters, two 
schooners and two sloops. There were 
three different allowances, viz. : for first- 
class club boats, 35 seconds ; for second- 
class club boats, 45 seconds ; and for the 
outside craft, 40 seconds per ton. The 
wind was fresh from southwest, and the 
Maria and Una, in their respective classes, 


“ MARIA.” 


owned by Mr. James M. Waterbury, and 
was 39 tons. 

For the first time two classes were made, 
showing that the yacht owners were being 
gradually educated in the ethics of the 
sport. There were three entries in the 
first, and six in the second class. The 
rigs, however, were not separated, and in 
the first class the schooners Cornelia and 
Siren were pitted against the sloop Maria. 


won as they pleased, while the sloop Dart 
(59), an outside boat, took the prize there. 
Now-a-days, a proposition to race a sloop 
against a schooner inferior in size, and 
without allowance for rig, would be laughed 
to scorn. 

October 12 of this year, 1847, there was 
another “ Corinthian ” race, and this time 
over the regular club course. It was for a 
subscription cup, the yacht to be 7nanned and 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


19 



sailed exclusively by members, allowing each 
yacht a pilot, and there started the schoon- 
ers Gimcrack, Dream, Spray, Cygnet, Siren, 
and Cornelia, with the Una. Of course, 
the Una won. Siren second. Spray third. 

The regatta called third on the club 
record took place June 6, 1848, the yachts 
being divided into two classes, but no 
separation of rig. There was a cracking 
breeze from the west-north-west, and the 
Maria was dismasted, a bad habit which 
she contracted in her youth, and never 
recovered from. She was finally altered 
to schooner, because, among other reasons, 
it had been found impossible to hold her 
stick in her. She was a boat of enormous 


beam and great initial stability, and her 
sail spread was something prodigious. 
The accident on this occasion took place 
between Jersey City and Hoboken, when 
she was at the head of all the fleet except 
the Cornelia, and was gaining very rapidly 
on her. The Maria seems to have been 
constantly shrinking in size, for at this 
regatta she is entered at 118 tons, quite a 
drop from 160, at which figures she sailed 
her first race. The winners were, in the 
first-class schooners, Cornelia and Siren, 
and in the second-class. Cygnet and Ex 
Coquille. Thus it will be seen that in the 
process of evolution the club had come to 
two prizes in each class. 

October 26, 1848, there was a kind of 
experimental match proposed, showing 
that there had been some dissatisfaction, 
and that there was a reaching out for some- 
thing better. It was a “Corinthian ” match, 
members to steer and man the yachts, and 
was for three pieces of plate subscribed 
for by members. One of these was to go 
to the best schooner, one to the second 
schooner, and one to the best sloop. 

This, then, was the first race in which 
the two rigs had been separated. 
The starters were the schooners 
Sybil (37), Sirexi (60), Breeze 
(74), Cornelia (75), over the 
regular club course. The 
allowances were: 35 seconds 
for over 40 tons ; 45 sec- 
onds for 40 tons and 
under classes of 
schooners. The wind 
failed, and the race 
was not finished, 

- and had to be 
resailed Novem- 
ber 3, when 


JUUA.' 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


only the schooner Sybil and Cornelia' 
came to the line and went over the 
course. The Sybil won, and the Cornelia 
captured the second prize. Evidently, 
owners were getting better acquainted 
with their boats and those opposed to 
them, and they do not seem to have relished 
defeat any more than their successors do 
now-a-days. There were no starters among 
the sloops, probably for the reason that as 


against the Maria and Una no vessel 
stood a chance, and it was labor lost, and 
money thrown away, to fit them for a race. 
Previous to this race of November 3, how- 
ever, viz., Octobk 31, 1848, there was a 
match between the sloops Una and Ultra 
over the club course. The Ultra was 65 
tons, the Una but 39 ; and size told in 
those days as now, and the allowance of 17 
minutes 15 seconds which the Una got 
was not enough for her. The Ultra, then 
owned by Mr. C. B. Miller, 
won by 15 minutes. 

Next year, 1849, there was 
no race until the regular June 
regatta, which occupied two 
days, June 5 and 7. On the 
first day the course was the 
regular one, but the second 
day the start was off Robbins’ 
Reef, and the yachts went 
around the Sandy Hook light- 
ship for the first time. The 
Maria came in ahead on the 
first day, but was disqualified 
on account of fouling the 
Ultra. On the second day 
the prizes were $50 for each 



Ffed.S.CostyfyS 
‘ ^ 66 









THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHT/ AG. ' 21 



class, no separation of rig ; an allowance 
of 35 seconds a ton for all over 50 tons, 
and 45 seconds for all yachts 50 tons and 
under. There started in the first class the 
schooners Cornelia and Siren, and the sloop 
Maria, and in the second class only the 
schooner Sybil. Evidently a voyage around 
the lightship was looked upon with some 
distrust by the yachtsmen of 1849. The 
Maria came in ahead, but lost on allowance 
of time to the schooner Cornelia. The 
Sybil, of course, had a walk over. 

In those days, how- 
ever, this going around 
the lightship was con- 
sidered a great feat, and 
by many, a most im- 
prudent proceeding. Still 
the more adventurous did 
not think so, and October 
13 the schooners Cornelia 
and Breeze sailed a match 
over this course, starting 
from Robbins Reef. 


the club course, and the second day 
around the lightship, starting from Rob- 
bins Reef. On the second day the Maria 
sprung the head of her mast when near 


UNA.” 


There was a fresh breeze from north by east Sandy Hook, bound out, and had to give 
to east by north, and the Breeze carried up. By this time the yachtsmen had got 
away her bowsprit, and the Cornelia sprung to protesting quite lively against each 
her mast, but came home a winner. other, and regatta committees had plenty 

Next year there was again two days’ of work after the races, deciding questions 
racing, June 6 and 7, the first day over of violation of rules. In 1851 there was 



22 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 



also two days’ racing over these same two 
courses, with six starters on the first day, 
and but four on the second. This, how- 
ever, was a memorable year, for this was 
the summer that the schooner Attierica 
came out and sailed across the ocean. 

On Friday, May 9, 1851, at a general 
meeting of the Royal Yacht Squadron, a 
cup valued at $100 was offered for com- 
petition by yachts of all nations, the course 


was that the end of the match was a mere 
drift, but had there been an allowance for 
difference of size, the Aurora would have 
been beaten by less than two minutes, al- 
though, when passing the Needles, on the 
return, she was full eight miles astern, and 
the rest of the fleet out of sight astern. 

I may say a word in passing of the other 
race sailed by the America in British 
"Waters, before she was sold by her Ameri- 
can owners. This race is not so well 
known as the other for the cup which still" 
bears her name. This was a match sailed 
August 28, 1851, with the schooner Titania 
(100). The course was from the Nab to a 
station twenty miles away, either to the 
leeward or windward, as the case might 
be. There the first part of the race 
ended, and was to be awarded to the 
winner. The yachts were then to be again 
started, on the return, and another 
depended on the finish. The wind at 
the start was fresh from northwest, 
increasing to a gale, and hauling 
to north by west. In the run 
off, the America beat the 
Titania four minutes twelve 
seconds, and in the beat 
back, she beat her 52m., 
thus winning the 
whole ^100. 


pecl-^ 


Sff 


AMERICA.” 


being around the Isle of Wight, starting 
and finishing at Cowes ; and for this 
race the America started against eight 
other schooners and nine cutters. The re- 
sult is too well known to require more than 
a passing allusion. The America came in 
winner with loss of jib-boom ; the three first 
arrivals being the America (170), at 8.37 ; 
Aurora, cutter {4-j), at 8.45 ; the JBacchatite, 
cutter (80), 9.30. The reason of the 
Aurora getting so well placed at the finish 


Nearly each year, as we have seen, 
brought something new in the history of 
American yachting, and 1852 was no ex- 
ception to this rule, the yachts at the 
annual regattas, which took place June 3, 
being for the first time divided into three 
classes : over fifty tons ; between fifty and 
twenty-five tons, and twenty-five tons and 
under. It was sailed over the regular club 
course, and there was no separation on ac- 
count of rig. In the first class were the 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


23 


sloops E/ia, Sjh 7 , and Ultra, and the 
schooner Cornelia. In the second class 
the sloop Sport, and in the third the sloop 
Alpha and schooner Ariel. The winners 
were the Una, Sport, and Alpha. Next 
day, June 4, the course was around the 
lightship from Robbins Reef, ’ but the 
wind was so light that it had to be resailed, 
June 9, after another ineffectual trial, June 
7, and the sloop Silvie (68), Mr. Louis A. 
Depau, won her first race. She afterwards 
became very famous as the first American 
sloop yacht which ever went across the 
ocean to England. 

Next year, 1853, the programme for the 
annual regatta was the same as in the few 
previous years ; a race over the old club 
course from the Elysian Fields for the first 
day, and presumably for the benefit of the 
public, and on the second day, a race 
around the lightship. Owners were chary 
of attempting the outside course, and there 
were but four starters, the sloops Alpha 
(17); Sport (26), and Una (54), with the 
schooner Cornelia (78). I think the Una 


starters were the cutters Arrow (102) ; 
Julia (in) ; Aurora (60) ; sloop Silvie 
(105) ; Swedish schooner Aurora Borealis 
(250); schooners (248) ; Osprey 
The start was from an anchorage, and the 
Silvie was beaten by the cutter Julia, 6m. 
38J4s. 

I think it was in the year 1854 that bal- 
loon sails, club topsails, etc., came into 
vogue, for a resolution of the club pro- 
vided that “ there should be no restriction^ 
as to canvas that may bo carried by yachts 
contending for prizes.” It was evidently 
necessary to offer inducements for entries, 
as in the first class on the first day of the 
regatta, which was June i, the starters 
were : two sloops and three schooners ; in 
the second class the same, and in the third 
class four sloops. Over the outside course, 
two days later, the only yacht which came 
to the starting line was the sloop Alpha 
(17), and she started at 11.48 A.M., and 
finished at 7.12:30 P.M. 

This year was memorable for the first 



ALPHA.” 


24 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 



“ RAY.” 


race the club ever sailed at Newport, and 
this was the first annual cruise of the club. 
The prize for the race at Newport, August 
lo, 1854, was $500 for yachts of any club, 
and $100 for working vessels ; the course 
being what is still known as the club course 
at Newport, i.e., from off Fort Adams to 
and around the Block Island buoy and re- 
turn, 45 miles. The starters were : the 
sloops Maria (116) [she seems to have re- 
ceived a different rating at each race]; 
Jtdia (^80) [her first race]; Una (58), Ger- 
trude (69), Irene (48), America (40), and 
Ella Jane [a working vessel] (89); schoon- 
ers Haze (80), Cornelia (78), Mystery (46), 
Spray (37). The wind was northeast, and 
there was considerable sea. The sails were 
limited ; sloops to mainsail and jib ; 
schooners, to the three lower sails ; and 
all started with the topmasts down. The 
Maria took the $500, and the Ella Jane, 


being the only 
working vessel, 
captured $100. 
She came in 49m. 
28s. astern of the 
Maria, and had 
started 4ni. 15s. 
after the Maria. 
The yacht, there- 
fore, beat her 
45m. 13s. 

Next year, 
I 85 5 , was the 
tamest annual 
regatta in the ex- 
perience of the 
club. There was 
but one day’s 
racing, a match 
over the old 
course, from the 
Elysian Fields ; 
but on August 3, 
when the club 
was about to 
start on its second 
annual cruise, it 
had a regatta 
from Glen Cove 
Harbor, for a 
prize contributed 
by “citizens,” 
ostensibly, but 
really by W. E. 
Burton, the popu- 
lar actor, who at 
that time owned 
the place at Glen 
Cove now owned 
by Mr. S. L. M. Barlow, and who was a mem- 
ber of the club. The course was from off 
the steamboat dock to a stake-boat off 
Throggs’ Point, thence to Matinnicock 
Point, and back to the place of departure, a 
distance of twenty-five miles, on an al- 
lowance of twenty-five seconds per ton. 
There were five schooners and fourteen 
sloops started, showing that in the natural 
process of evolution the sloop rig had 
come to be tlie favorite ; largely influ- 
enced, I presume, by the splendid per- 
formances of the Maria, Una, Julia, and 
Silvie. Anyway, this was a land, or water- 
mark in the history of the club ; it was its 
first race on Long Island Sound, unless the 
previous year’s race at Newport be consid- 
ered as such. This year, also, at Newport, 
saw a variation of the previous year’s pro- 
gramme, the yachts, on August 14, sailing 
a match from Fort Adams to Hop Island 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICA JV YACHTING. 


25 


and return, twenty-two miles, the first 
class, 60 tons and over ; second, between 
60 and 30 tons ; and third, 30 tons and 
under. There were four starters in each 
class, two prizes of $200, and one of $100. 
Evidently this course did not suit as well 
as the other, for it has never been sailed 
over since by this club. 

In 1856 the club took a new departure. 
There had been more or less dissatisfaction 
with the system of measurement ; I may 
say there has been ever since, and proba- 
bly always will be ; and this year a change 
was made, and the allowance was based on 
sail area. Of course it was as unfair as 
possible, but was gotten up by those own- 
ers who did not care to carry balloon can- 
vas, and wanted to penalize those who did. 
Like the present system of length and sail 
area, it was designed to benefit a particular 
class of yacht. The 1856 rule provided 
that yachts carrying less than 2,300 square 
feet of canvas should go in the third class, 
and their allowance of time over the club 
course should be seconds per square 
foot. The second class included 
yachts carrying 2,300 square feet 
and upwards, and the allowance 
was 1% seconds per foot. The 
first class included those yachts 
which had a sail area of 3,300 
square feet and upwards, 
with an. allowance of one 


The fact was, that the immense crowds 
which used to throng the Elysian Fields to 
witness the finishes, had much to do with 
this ; the yachtsman of that day, resplen- 
dent in blue and gold, felt himself in the 
presence of this assembly of the 
populace a very much more im- 
portant individual than he 
esteems himself now-a-days. 

All this was previous to 
the war, which made 
the wearing of a uni- 
form very common, 
and which has 
caused this, the 
great club of 
the country, 
to discard 
it almost 
alto- 



pretl . S .C -S 


second. The new regulation had one good 
effect ; there was a larger entry at the an- 
nual regatta than for many years. The 
yachts were started by classes, as they stu- 
pidly are to this day in some of the clubs, 
and there was only one day’s racing, the 
light-ship course being very unpopular. 


gether, and relegate the blue and gold to 
the minor clubs. 

This year was marked by another event, 
and that was that on August 8, 1856, the 
club sailed its first regatta at New Bed- 
ford over a course miles long. 

Let me show how unequally this sail- 


26 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


area rule worked, 
this race: 

Here are the entries for 

Name. 

Tons. 

Square feet. 

Sloop Silvie, 

100.0 

4580.88 

“ Widgeon, 

IOI.9 

3502.44 

“ Julia, 

83.0 

3307-45 

Schr. Favorite, 

138.0 

3983.20 

“ Haze, 

87.2 

3542.05 

“ Twilight, 

73-6 

3283.20 

Thus, the Widgeon, a larger 

yacht than 


the Silvie, has to receive time from her, 
and she also receives time from the Haze, 
a vessel 14 tons smaller than herself, and 
with not as fast a rig, as a general rule. The 
Julia barely won, with the Widgeon second. 

From this time on, until June 24, 1858, 
there was nothing out of the ordinary 
course of things in the history of the club, 
or in the history of American yachting. 
June 4, 1857, the annual regatta consisted 
of one race over the regular club course. 
August 13, 1857, there was another race at 
New Bedford, this seeming at this time, as 
always, a favorite place with the club. 
June 3, 1858, another race over the old club 
course for the annual event; but on June 
24, 1858, there was a race around Long Is- 
land, and of course the first ever sailed. 
This was the race in which the late com- 
modore, Mr. J. G. Bennett, then with Jr. 
after his name, became famous for taking 
a short cut through Plum Gut instead of 


through the Race, as provided by the arti- 
cles of agreement. The start was from 
the Elysian Fields, down through the Nar- 
rows, and out by Sandy Hook; and the 
finish was at Fort Schuyler. The entrance 
fee was $50 for each yacht, and there was 
no restriction as to canvas. As this was 
rather a celebrated contest, I will give the 
entries in full; 

Name. Owner. 

Schr. Haze, W. W. McVicker, 

“ Silvie, W. A. Stebbins, 

“ Favorite, A. C. Kingsland, 

‘‘ Widgeon, VVm. Edgar, 

Sloop Rebecca, J. G. Bennett, Jr., 

“ Madgie, R. J. Loper, 

“ Una, W. B. Duncan, 

“ Minnie, S. W. Thomas, 

At Fire Island the Una and Rebecca led: 
the Rebecca was first at Montauk Point; 
Favorite second, and two minutes behind. 
The Minnie protested against the Rebecca 
for going through Plum Gut, and she was 
ruled out. The Silvie won the schooner 
prize, and the Minnie took the sloop prize. 

This year was wound up by a fall regatta, 
on the 30th of October, the start for the 
first time being made from off Owls Head, 
as at present,.and out around the lightship. 
It was the same as the present course, e.x- 
cept that the finish was at the same place 
as the start, instead of as now, at buoy 15. 


Tons. 

87.23 

105.04 

138.00 

101.09 

77.06 

9905 

07.05 

59-14 



THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHlINliJ 


BY CAPTAIN R. F. COFFIN, 

Author of “ Oi.u Sailor Yarns,” “ The America’s Cue, ’ etc., etc. 


H. 


FROM 1859 TO 1870. 


In the first chapter. I brought the history 
of what may be called the public yachting 
^ — that in the races of the yachts of the 
New York club down to the close of 



the season of 1858, and it will be remem- 
bered that down to one year previous to 
this, no real yachting organization had 
been formed, and the Brooklyn club, which, 
properly speaking, was the second organi- 
zation formed was of but little importance 
for the first seven years of 
its existence, not being an 
incorporated body until the 
year 1864. Its yachts were 
for the most part open 
centerboards, sloop or cat 
rigged, with perhaps a few 
cabin sloops of small size. 
In fact it was not until 
the election of Mr. Jacob 
Voorhis, Jr., as its com- 
modore, which was, I think, 
in 1869, that it attained any 
prominence. That gentle- 
man, then the owner of the 
schooner yacht Madeleine 
— a man of wealth, and a 
member of the New York 
club — brought with him 
many of the prominent 
yacht owners of that organi- 
zation, and gave to the 
Brooklyn club, on its roll 
at least, a national impor- 
tance. It is a matter of 
doubt, however, whether 
this added any real strength 
to it at all. The allegiance 
and sympathies of these 
men were with the parent 
club, and a few years 
later, they all withdrew 
from membership in the 
Brooklyn. 




Tved.t^. 

a.G- 


" EEEETWING.” 


27 


28 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 



So then, for some years at least, from 
the date of my last resume, the history 
of the Xew York club was practically still 
the history of American yachting. Beside 
the public races at the "regular regattas, 
and the private matches, there is a history 
of the sport, which, if the data were obtain- 
able, would be found far more interesting 


In the first place, none but the compara- 
tively wealthy can own and run a vessel 
kept purely for pleasure sailing, and it is 
difiicult to see hoV a man can e.vpend his 
wealth in sport more profitably to himself, 
his friends, and the communitv. In the 
equipment and victualing of a yacht, all 
classes of the community receive a share 
and the intimate friends of the owner re- 
ceive that which is most valuable of all, 
the health-giving exercise and the fresh sea 
air which is its accompaniment, the owner 
himself getting in these ample return for all 
his outlay. 

So, in all these years of which I have 
written, I can picture the splendid fleet, 
getting under-way each fine afternoon of 
the season, from off the Elysian Fields, 
and according as the tide served for a sure 
return in the early 
evening, sailing either 
down the Bay or up 
the Hudson River, the 
club, in those early 
da3’s, being more fort- 
unate than during 
its later years, when, 
on account of the 


[recf.S. 


SCHOONER “.MADELEINE.”* 


than these, and that is the account of 
the private cruises and the afternoon sail- 
ing ; these, after all, constituting the real 
enjoyment of the sport, to which the public 
races are merely incidental. It is these 
that make yachting the verv prince of out- 
of-door sports. It is free from all the 
abuses and objections attaching to the turf, 
and must, from the very nature of things, 
always be the sport of gentlemen. 

* First owned by Jacob Voorhis ; 


encroachments of the commerce of the 
port, its afternoon sails must always be 
made toward Sandy Hook. It was 'more 
fortunate also in another respect, that then 
it had a regular anchorage, with a club- 
house and landing near by. 

After all, however, the cruises up the 
Sound, the most splendid sheet of water 
for yachting purposes in the world, were 
the chief glory of the yachtsmen. To start 

resent owner John R. Dickerson. 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


29 


with a congenial party such as the yacht 
could comfortably accommodate, and go for 
a ten days' cruise to the eastward. These 
cruises, of course, were as frequent as the 
business engagements of the owner would 
permit, all through the yachting season, and 
long before the date of our last resume, at 
the end of the summer of 1858, the pen- 
nant of the New York Yacht Club had 
been a common sight in every harbor from 
Glen Cove to Martha’s Vineyard, the yachts- 
men being always welcome visitors, and 
leaving always substantial pecuniary bene- 
fits behind them. 

Continuing the history from the point 
where I left it, I may say that in 1859 
another change w'as made in the system of 
measurement for allowance of time being 
by area of hull ; length and breadth at the 
water-line only being taken into the ac- 
count, and this method proved so satisfac- 
tor}’, that it was not changed until 1870, 
when in view of the arrival of the schooner 
Cambria to race for the America's Cup, 
the rule was changed to the cubical con- 
tents one, which, I think, was the fairest 
for all shapes of vessels, taking all things 
into consideration, of any that the club has 
ever adopted. The annual regatta was 
sailed this year over the old Elysian Fields 
course, and there was nothing particular 
about it except this change in the system of 
measurement from area of canvas to area 
of hull, a great improvement. 

During the annual cruise, this year, on 
the 6th of August, Mr. Bennet matched his 
sloop Rebecca against the schooner Restless 
for §500 a side, to sail from Brenton’s Reef 
Lighthouse, off the harbor of Newport, 
through the Sound to the Throggs Neck 
buoy, a distance of 154 miles. It was a 
very fine race, the wind being strong from 
the southwest, and the Restless, being by 
eighteen tons the larger vessel, beat the 
Rebecca twelve minutes. Two days later, 
August 8, the schooners Favorite and 
Haze sailed a match at New London, over 
a course 24 miles, and the Favorite won, and 
on August 10, the whole fleet had a race 
at Newport, the course being from off Port 
Adams, to a stake boat anchored sixteen 
miles southwest by south half south from 
the Brenton’s Reef Lightship, and at this 
match, for the first time, two classes of 
sloops as well as two classes of schooners 
sailed. 

The club had a fall regatta, this year, from 
off Owl’s Head around the lightship, and 
at this there were three classes of sloops, 
and two of schooners. The race fixed 


originally for September 22 failed on that 
day from lack of wind, and was finally sailed 
September 26. 

This seems to have been a yachting year, 
as on October 6 there was a match be- 
tween the schooners (148.94), Favor- 
ite (138), and Zinga (118.7), the course 
being from off Hart Island, to and around 
the buoy off Eaton’s Neck and return, thirty- 
eight miles for $50 each, and the Gypsy 
won. The race was sailed under reefed 
sails, and the Favorite twisted her rudder 
head. 

In i860 the regular regatta was saifed, 
June 7, and, as in the last race, there \^ere 
three classes of sloops and two of schooners, 
and they went over the old course from off 
the Elysian Fields. On August 2, of this 
year, i860, the sloops Julia (85.3) and Re- 
becca (76.4) sailed a match twenty miles to 
windward, from Sandy Hook, for $250 a 
side. This was the first race over this 
course, since become historical, and the 
yachts sailecj with housed topmasts by 
stipulation, and under jib and mainsail only. 
The Julia won by thirteen minutes. 

On the annual cruise, this year, the fleet 
sailed a race at New Bedford, there being, 
as had now become the fashion, three 
classes of sloops and two of schooners, the 
Julia winning the champion prize for 
sloops. 

In 1861, the New York Yacht Club had 
no regatta. This was in consequence of 
the breaking out of the war, but in 1862, 
they went at it again, with three classes of 
sloops, and three of schooners, divided into 
those of 800 square feet of area, from that 
to 1,300 for the second class, and over 
1,300 for the first class of sloops. The 
schooners were up to 1,000 feet for the 
third class, between 1,000 and 1,500 for the 
second, and all over 1,500 feet for the first, 
and in this race the Maria for the first 
time sailed as a schooner. The race was 
over the old course, as was also that of 
1863, in which year the annual regatta was 
sailed on June ii, and w'as a handicap, the 
first in the history of the club. It did not 
seem to give much satisfaction, as it was 
not repeated, but I fancy there was too 
much machinery about it, as the allowances 
were graded to fit any wind from a light 
breeze to a gale. It attracted, however, 
an entr>' of 9 schooners and 7 sloops, and 
was sailed over the old course. 

June 3, 1864, at the regular regatta, the 
club went back to the old fashion of two 
classes of sloops and two of schooners, 
and they sailed over the old course ; but 


30 THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 



the next year, on June 8, 1865, was sailed 
the first regular June regatta 'around the 
light ship from off Owl’s Head, at which 
there was but one class of each rig, one of 
sloops and one of schooners, and they se- 
cured an entry of three of the single- 
masted vessels and six of the schooners. 
P'rom this regatta ladies were excluded, it 
being thought that it would be too uncom- 
fortable for them to go outside of the 
Hook, even in a well-appointed steamer. 
There was a strong breeze, and but three 
of the yachts were timed at the finish. The 
schooner Magic won here her first race. 
In order to compensate the ladies for their 
exclusion from the committee steamer 
on the day of the rpgatta, what was 
intended for a grand review was 
arranged for June 13, the place 
selected being the Horseshoe. 

Several similar attempts have 
been made in the history of 
the New York Yacht Club, 
which appears to have 
tried in turn almost 
every description of 
aquatic carnival, 
but all of them 


fifteen miles to windward from the light 
ship, the stipulation being that the tacks 
should be thirty minutes’ duration, and 
that there should be no restriction as to 
canvas or number of crew, and no allow- 
ance of time. The wind was a fresh sail- 
ing breeze from southeast, and a thick fog 
shut down soon after the start. The Magic 


SLOOP “ KEBECCA.” * 


have been more or less failures, the club 
never having taken kindly to reviews. On 
this occasion but thirteen yachts appeared, 
but the affair seemed so satisfactory to the 
committee, that in its report it expresses 
the hope that the review may be repeated 
each year, in which hope it was disappointed, 
for the ladies’ privilege on the club steamer 
was restored to them, and there were no 
more reviews, at least not for many years. 

June 13, 1865, five days later, there was 
a match sailed between the schooners 
Magic and Josephine, for $1,000 a side ; 

* First owned by Jas. Gordon Bennett ; present owner 


got out to the mark all right and made the 
run back successfully. The Josephine iCileCi 
to find the outer mark and lost the race. 

Thus, it will be seen that, from year to 
year, each season brought something new, 
and this year was particularly fruitful of 
novelty, for on September ii, the first race 
ever sailed from Sandy Hook to Cape May 
was started, being a match between Mr. J. 
G. Bennett’s schooner, Henrietta, 230 tons, 
and Mr. George A. Osgood’s schooner. 
Fleetwing, 206. i tons. The Fleetwing won 
by one and a half hours. 

'• Upham, Jr., Boston; now altered to a schooner. 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


31 


Mr. Bennett was always ready for these 
matches, and October i6, of this same year, 
1865, he sailed the Henrietta against the 
schooner Palmer, then owned by Mr. R. F. 
Loper, She entered at 194.22 tons, and the 



Mr. Bennett made another match with 
the Henrietta this same fall. It was her 
first season, and he seems to have been in- 
clined to race her for all she was worth. 
He wound up the season by sailing her 
against the schooner Restless, for $500 a 
side, the course being from Sands Point to 
the Bartlett Reef Lightship, off New Lon- 
don, and the Henrietta won by twenty 
minutes. 

I'he annual regatta of 1866 was sailed, 
June 14, from Owls Head to and around 
the lightship, with the regulation single 
class of sloops and schooners, and nothing 
special occun'ed. The club seems now 
to have permanently abandoned the 
Elysian Fields course, and to have 
adopted Owls Head as the place of 
start and finish. 

During the cruise, this year, a 
match was sailed betwen the 
schooners Widgeon and Vesta, 
on August 17, the stakes being 
$1,000 a side, and the course 
from off Fort Adams to and 
around the Block Island 
buoy, and return, which 
has come to be known as 
^ the regular Block Island 
course. This was a 
very close race, and 
the Widgeon won by 
one minute four 
seconds. 


Fi ed.S 033^1^ - 
86 


SCHOONER “SAPPHO.”* 


Henrietta seems to have been too large for 
her, as she beat her 21 minutes. The 
race was for $500 a side, as was also that 
between the Henrietta and Fleetwing on 
the previous month. 


October 9, 1866, Mr. Bennett sailed the 
Henrietta against the Vesta in a match 
from Sandy Hook to the Cape May Light- 
ship and return. There was a hard gale 
from the eastward, and both yachts were 


* Built and owned by C. and R. Poillon ; purchased by W. H. Douglass ; present owner Prince Sciarra, Naples, Italy. 


32 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 



much damaged. The Vesfa lost jib- 
boom, and the Henrietta, among other 
troubles, parted forestay, and had to 
lie to, for some hours, repairing 
damages. The Henrietta made the 
run down in ph. 8m., and made the 
entire course in 3oh. 6m., the Vesta 
beating her 56m., and winning the 
stakes which, as usual, were $500 a 
side. 

This was a great year for match 
racing, and these matches were but 
the prelude to the greatest match 
ever sailed by yachts of any 
country, the great ocean race, 
which was started December 

II, 1866. 

Previous to this, however, 
on October 23, the schooners 
Halcyon ( 1 2 1 ) and Vesta 
(201), sailed a match for 
$250 a side, from Sands Point 
to the Bartlett Reef Light- 
ship, the Vesta winning by 
nearly an hour. The Vesta, 
which at this time was owned 
by Mr. Pierre Lorillard, was 
sailed in a match twenty miles 
to windward from the Sandy 
Hook Lightship and return 


SCHOONER “ HALCYON.” * 


for a piece of plate against L' Hirondelle, 
afterwards the celebrated schooner Daunt- 
less. She was entered in this race at 262.8 
tons against the Vesta, 201, and as usual, 
size told in her favor, and she won. It 
was D Hirondelle' s first season, and she was 
owned by Mr. L. B. Bradford, from whom 
she was afterwards purchased by Mr. 
Bennett. 


The great race from Sandy Hook 
across the ocean to the Needles, Isle 
of Wight, England, was the most remark- 
able contest ever entered into either on 
land or water. That vessels of the size 
of these schooners should cross the ocean 
at any time of year, was considered some- 
what hazardous, but that they should 
cross in the dead of winter, added 


♦Original owners: W. Herbert, James E. Smith ; present owner Charles J. Paine, Boston. 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTIN'G. 


oo 



wonder of the undertaking, and finall)', 
the passages made by all three of the 
yachts, all being little, if any, above the 
record made by the best appointed sailing 
packet ships, and below or about the aver- 
age of steamer time in those days, placed 
the crowning glory on the enterprise, and 
I think, therefore, I am correct in calling 
this the most remarkable race of any kind 
on record. / 

Certainly, it was the most remarkable' 
yacht race ever sailed, whether as regards 
the length and nature of the course, the 
season of the year, the amount of money 
involved, or the result, and therefore, I 
think I shall be justified in giving 
a more minute description of this 
race than I have been able to of 
any other within the limits of this 
article. For it was this race which 
lifted American yachting to a level 
with any in the world, and placed 
the New York club on an equality 
with the Royal Yacht Squadron 
of Great Britain. 


immensely to the risk. Had they been 
especially prepared for an ocean voyage by 
having their spars reduced before starting, 
it would still have been considered some- 
thing of a feat to have crossed the At- 
lantic in either of them in the month of 


W<i;Sre5g?5? 


06 


“dreadnaught.” 


December, but that they should start with 
racing spars and canvas to go across at 
racing speed, was something which all sea- 
men would have considered imprudent. 
Then, too, the magnitude of the stake 
raced for, $90,000 — a much more impor- 
tant amount then than now — added to the 


As we have seen, American yacht owners 
had been yearly becoming more adventur- 
ous. The old club course had become 
too limited for them, and they had laid out 
a race track, a part of which was on the 
ocean. This had not satisfied them, and 
they had sailed races of hundreds of miles 


34 


HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


out on the ocean entirely, and on one 
occasion the track of a race had encircled 
Long Island. 

Owners of the New York Yacht Club 
then, far more than now, were practical 
yachtsmen; that is, they sailed or knew how 
to sail, their own craft. Of course, some 
do this even now, but the proportion of 
experts among the New York Yacht Club 
owners is not, I think, as large as among 
the owners in the Atlantic, or Seawanhaka, 
Corinthian, or the Larchmont Clubs, and 
to go still further down in the scale of im- 
portance, the proportion of experts, that is, 
men who habitually sail the yachts they 
own, is greater in the Jersey City, New 
Jersey, and Knickerbocker Yacht Clubs, 
than in the others I have named. 

In 1866, however, the Brooklyn club was 
but nine years old, the Jersey City but 
eight, the Boston but one, and the Atlantic 
Club just organized. 

Practically, all the yachtsmen of this sec- 
tion belonged to the New York Yacht 
Club, and in those early days, few 
joined it who were not practical 
yachtsmen. This very brilliant feat 
of which I am writing, did much 
to attract to its rolls gentlemen 
from all the professions of 
life, and the jurist, the 
lawyer, the doctor, the 
merchant, esteemed it 
an honor to belong to 
this famous organi- 
zation, and its ^ 


had been ample time for consideration. 
The probability is, that inasmuch as the two 
gentlemen who first made the match were 
enthusiastic yachtsmen and keen sportsmen, 
they needed no other inspiration than their 
own love of sport, and had no other. I 
give the original agreement verbatim. 

“George and Franklin Osgood bet 
Pierre Lorillard, Jr., and others, $30,000 
that the Fleetwing can beat the Vesta to 
the Needles, on the coast of England, 
yachts to start from Sandy Hook on the 
second Tuesday in December, 1866, to sail 



F-,ed.S.Co3j«-^; 


SCHOONER “ COMET. 


members were nearly doubled within the 
year. 

It is said that this ocean match was orig- 
inally made as an after-dinner inspiration 
over the wine; but although this might have 
been true as to two of the gentlemen engaged 
in it, it certainly was not as to the third, 
for he came in subsequently, and after there 


according to the rules of the New York 
Yacht Club, waiving allowance of time. 
The sails to be carried are mainsail, fore- 
sail, jib, flying jib, jib topsail, fore and main 
gaff topsails, storm staysail and trysail.” 

This shows that in the process of evolu- 
tion, schooners had come to a fore top- 
mast and to a flying jib boom. At first 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


35 



they only had a little stump of a bowsprit 
and a short main topmast — more a flag-staff 
than anything else — on which was hoisted 
a sort of square topsail with a yard on it, 
sent up from the deck flying. The modern 
gaff topsail, now in universal use on fore 
and aft vessels was not introduced until 
some years after the organization of the 
New York Yacht Club. 

To return to my story of this great race, 
in which there is ample material for a his- 
tory by itself, and which the limitations of 


space forbid my more than merely glancing 
at. As soon as Mr. Bennett heard of this 
match having been made, he signified his 
desire to take a part in it, and, after some 
consideration, the other gentlemen con- 
sented, an article being added to the agree- 
ment as follows : 

“ The yacht Henrietta enters the above 
race, by paying $30,000 subscriptiqn 
by members of the New York Yacht Club ; 
any minor points not embraced in the 
above, that cannot be settled by Messrs. 
Osgood, Lorillard and Bennett, shall be de- 
cided as follows : Each shall choose an 
umpire ; the umpires chosen in case of a 
disagreement to choose two others. T wenty 
per cent, of the money to be deposited with 
Mr. Leonard W. Jerome, on the 3d of 
November, the balance to be deposited on 
the first Tuesday in December — play or 
pay. 

Signed by J. G. Bemiett, Jr.., 
Franklin Osgood, 
George A. Osgood, 
Pierre Lorillard, Jr. 

December 5, 1866.” 

There was a supplementary 
agreement which provided that 
neither yacht was to take a chan- 
nel pilot from this city, and 
that, in addition to the 
sails previously named, 
each yacht might carry a 
square sail. The third 
agreement provided 




VIXEN. 



36 


THE HISTORY 0 F‘ AMERICAN YACHTING. 



that each yacht might shift during the race 
everything but ballast, and that the forty- 
eight hour rule should be waived (that is, 
they could trim ship up to the very moment 
of starting). The race to end when the 
lighthouse on the west end of the Isle of 
Wight appears abeam, with the yacht on 
the true channel course, yachts to start on 
Thursday, December ii, at i o’clock P.M., 
blow high or low. Boats to be started by 
H. S. Fearing. 

I have no space to dwell on their pass- 
ages, although the logs of all three are be- 
fore me. We know that they had a fine, 
fair start, and the result shows how won- 
derfully well they were navigated. The 
Henrietta \;on, having sailed 3,106 miles in 
thirteen days, twenty-one hours, fifty-five 
minutes. The Fleetwing was second, having 
sailed 3,135 miles,in fourteen days,six hours, 
ten minutes. The Vesta (fastest of the 
three) came last, having sailed 3,144 miles 
in fourteen days, six hours, fifty minutes. 
She was the only center-board boat, 
and on the day before their getting 
in with the land, was ahead of both 
of the others ; a blunder on the part 
of her navigator in not allowing 
sufficiently for the strength of Run- 
nell’s current, caused her to fall in 
to leeward of the Scilly Islands with 
a southerly wind, and a more cruel 
blunder of her channel 
pilot caused her to run 
past her port in the 
channel and lost her the 
second place, showing 
once more that ‘‘ the 
race is not always to 
the swift.” 

The only accident 
happened to the Fleet- 
wing, while scudding 
before a hard gale, 

December 19, under a 
double-reefed foresail 
and fore staysail. At 
nine o’clock in the 
evening, she took a sea 
aboard which washed six of her crew out 
of the cockpit, and they were lost. The 
boat was then obliged to lay to for five 
hours, under her double-reefed foresail. 

It was in 1867 that the schooner yacht 
Sappho made her first appearance. She 
was built in Brooklyn, by the Poillons, on 
speculation ; a deep keel vessel, with finer 
lines than had been the fashion previous to 
that, and her builders confidently expected 


that she would prove faster than any 
yacht afloat. She did so prove afterwards, 
but her early career was not promising. 
She sailed her first race off New Lon- 
don, August 7, 1867, a match of thirty- 
five miles for a cup offered by the com- 
modore of the club, in which five sloops 
and seven schooners started. There was a 
thick fog, and some of the yachts did not 
return until after midnight. The schooner 
Eva was the only one that made the race 
inside of the time limit. 


frea A.Co^ens 
fi .6 


August 10, of this same year, the Sappho 
was again entered by her builder, Mr. 
Poillon, in a race off Newport, the course 
being from Brenton’s Reef to a stake boat 
anchored about a mile east by north from 
the lighthouse on Sandy Point, Block Island, 
returning to a point off Port Adams, the 
race to be made in eight hours. She came 
in second to the Pabner by two minutes 
actual time, and, considering the difference 


* Originally owned by Mr. Pierre Lorillard, and now by Mr. Fred. F. Ayers. 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 37 



‘ WANDERER. 


in size, this was a bad beat for the new 
schooner, from which so much had been 
expected. Here are the dimensions of the 
two boats: 

Sappho, keel; 274.4 tons; 3146.0 feet 
area. 

/’iz/w/', center-board; 294.2 tons; 2371.9 
feet area. 

1868 was notable as being the year 
when the club established itself at Clifton, 
S. I., and for the first time started its 
annual regatta from there on June 18, 
1868. There were four sloops and eight 
schooners started, and the affair failed 
from lack of wind, and next day only two 
sloops, the Gussie and White Wing, came 
to the line with the schooners Magic, Idler, 
Silvie and Rambler. As has generally hap- 
pened on days when postponed races have 
been sailed, there was a cracking breeze. 


the White Wing was disabled, and the 
Magic took the schooner prize. A famous 
race was sailed July 15, of this year, be- 
tween the schooners Magic and Faiilihe; 
the owner of the Magic betting $3,000 to 
$2,500 ! the course being the regular one 
around the lightship; Magic, 112.5 tons, 
allowing Pauline, 81.2 tons, seven min- 
utes. They started from an anchorage, as 
was the custom for some years later, and 
the Pauline led her larger competitor all 
the way around the course, and beat her, 
finally, thirty minutes fifteen seconds, 
actual time. This was the worst beating 
the Magic, a wonderfully smart boat, ever 
received, and showed most conclusively 
the uncertainties of yacht racing. The 
wind at the first was variable, but at the 
Hook they got a fresh breeze from south- 
east, at least the Pauline did, and away she 


38 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


went, getting clear out to the lightship be- 
fore the Magic, inside of the Hook, got the 
breeze at all. 

During the annual cruise, this year, there 
were some fine matches, but nothing 
especially worthy of note. Mr. Pierre 
Lorillard gave a cup at New London. Mr. 
Thomas Durant, at that time owner of the 
schooner Idler, gave one at Newport, and 
there was an ocean sweepstakes from Clarks 
Point, off New Bedford, twenty miles to sea 
and return, and to be made in five hours. 
Of course, it was not made in that time. 
The Poillons, meanwhile, not having been 
able to secure a purchaser for the Sappho, 
had sent her to England for sale, and 
she sailed a match around the Isle of 
Wight. It was a sweepstakes, ^^2 
entrance money; the race to be made 
in nine hours. The Sappho entered 
at 310 tons. Cutters were to have 
two thirds of their tonnage added. 
'I'here were no square sails allowed, 
but in fore and aft canvas there was 
no limit. No greater amount 
of time than twenty minutes 
to be allowed in any event. 

Evidently, the big Yankee 
schooner did not frighten 
John Bull to ,any great ex- 
tent, for the cutter Oimara 
undertook to sail the Sappho 
on even terms, while, as 
respected English yachts, she 
was to have two-thirds of 
her tonnage added, and was 
to be classed at 275 tons. 

The other yachts were the 



Ffecl.S ^ 




'MARIA AS SCHOONER “MAUD. 


cutter Condor (215), and the schooners 
Cambria (193) and Aline (212). The Cam- 
bria was owned by Mr. Ashbury, and the 
Aline by Mr., now Sir Richard, Sutton, 


who came here last summer with the cutter 
Ge fiesta. The above were the measure- 
ments sailed under, the real measurements 
of the Oimara and Condor being 165 and 


39 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 



129 tons respectively. The allowances 
were: Sappho allows Oimara .00; Condor, 
9.12; Aline, 9.12; Cambria, 11.55. Oimara, 
allows Condor 6.16; Aline, 6.16; Cambria, 
8.59. There was a fine breeze northwest, 
and the yachts came in: 'I'he Cambria, 
6.17.50; Aline, 6.19.55; Oimara, 6.23.10; 
Condor, 6.25.00; Sappho, 7.58.00. 

'I'he Sappho lost jib boom off Ventnor, 
and about half way over the course. She 
ought not to have started at all. The gen- 
• tleman in charge of her, a good navigator 
and thorough business man, was not a 
yacht-racing skipper, and this defeat set- 
tled all chance of selling the yacht, and 
she had to return to this country unsold. 
After her return, she was purchased by Mr. 
\V. P. Douglass, recently the vice-commo- 
dore of the New York club, and under 
the direction of the late Captain Robert 
Fish, she was hipped out, and began 
at once a most successful career. 

Marine architects differ in 
opinion as to the value of the 
alteration. The builders of 
the Sappho, to this day, are 
of the opinion that she 
was as fast before as 
after the alteration, 
and that her excess 
of sail - carrying 
power, resulting 


was remarkable as having had for prizes 
cups presented by James G. Bennett, Jr., 
then the vice-commodore of the club. 
When Mr. Bennett first became a member 
of the New York Yacht Club, there was a 
strong prejudice against him, on the part 
of some of the older and more aristocratic 


“gracie.”* 


from the hipping, was more than counter- 
balanced by the increased resistance. The 
fact, however, is patent, she was a failure 
before, and a grand success after the altera- 
tion. 

The autumn regatta of the New York 
club for 1868 was sailed September 22, and 


members. He was considered by them a 
sort of parve?iu, and it was the influence of 
this feeling that ruled his yacht out when 
she had won the race around Long Island 
rather than because she had deviated from 
the course by coming through Plum Gut ; 
for, as is well known, at certain times of 


* First owner William Voorhis, then Wm. Krebs, next John P- Waller ; present owner Joseph P. Earle. 


40 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 



the tide, nothing can be gained by 
going through this passage. 

Gradually, however, Mr. Bennett’s 
true sportsmanlike spirit found 
proper recognition in the club, and 
on his return from the great ocean 
race — he having pluckily gone out 
and returned on his yacht — he was 
unanimously elected vice-commo- 
dore, and, as stated, at this regatta 
he presented the prizes. The race 
was over the regular course, but to 
be sailed without time allowance, 
and to be made in seven 
hours. The starters were 
of schooners : Mr. R. F. 

Toper’s Pabner (194.2), 

Mr. E. Dodge’s Silvie 
(106.2), Mr. H. G. Stebbins’ 

Phantom (123.3). Sloops: 






ENCHANTRESS." 


Mr. John Voorhis’ Addie V. (44.8), Mr. 
William Voorhis’ Grade ( 54 . 5 ), Mr. Shep- 
pard Homans’ White (53.1), Mr. John 
B. Herreshoff ’s Sadie (42.1). I give these 
names and the names of the owners, because 
nearly all these yachts are still in commis- 
sion, all of them, in fact, except the Silvie; 
but all have undergone extensive altera- 
tions since that time. The Palmer has 
been rebuilt and raised ; the Phantom is, 
I think, about the same as then, except 
that she has each season been overhauled 
and kept in prime condition ; the Addie V. 
and Grade have been rebuilt and enlarged, 
the present Grade being nearly twice as 
large as she was then. The White Wing 
has gone through many changes. She was 
sold out of the club, and used down at 


Greenport, L. T, as a bunker boat. Then, 
in 1878, I think, she was purchased by Mr. 
A. Perry Bilven, extensively repaired and 
rebuilt, and called the Ada, but there being 
some custom house informality about the 
change, she resumed her old name and is 
still running, enrolled in the Brooklyn and 
Hull clubs. The Sadie has been enlarged ; 
a second mast added, and she is now the 
schooner Lotus. In this match for Mr. 
Bennett’s cups, the wind was fresh from 
southeast, and the winners were the 
schooner Phantom and the sloop Addie V. 

At the twenty-third annual regatta — only 
the June matches are enumerated — there 
seems to have been a spar-breaking breeze, 
and the number of lame ducks which limped 
back to the anchorage in the afternoon 



THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


41 


was considerable. The match was sailed 
June 10, 1869, and the starters were 

five schooners, seven sloops over 25 tons, 
and three sloops under 25 tons. Summing 
up the result, the Phantom carried away 
mainmast head, between the Hook and 
lightship, bound out. Schooner Silvie lost 
flying jib-boom, and Palmer carried away 
fore topmast. The winners were : schooner 
Idler., sloops Sadie in the first, and White 
Cap in the second class. 

July 10, 1869, there was a match race 
over the regular club course, between Mr. 
James M. Banker’s schooner. Rambler 
(164.4), and Mr. Franklin Osgood’s 
schooner Magic (97.17), Mr. Banker bet- 
ting $1,000 to $500 that his boat, without 
time allowance, would win ; in which, as 
the result showed, he was slightly mis- 
taken, for the little Magic led all around 
the course. The start was from an anchor- 
age with a light southerly breeze, which 
freshened after the yachts had passed 
through the Narrows, backing to the south- 
east, and was quite fresh between the 
Hook and lightship, at which mark the 
Magic was a long distance ahead ; but as 
most frequently happens, the leading yacht 
lost the wind on drawing in to the Bay on 
the return, and the Rambler, retaining the 
ocean breeze, came nearly up with her ; 
then the little boat drew away again and 
went in an easy winner, the Rambler's dis- 
comfiture being made more complete by 
her hanging on the rocks off Fort Lafayette 
for two and a half minutes. 

This schooner Rambler was not the 
present schooner of that name, as she was 
not built until 1871. She was built also 
for Mr. James M. Banker, by Mr. E. P. 
Beckwith, at New London, and after- 
wards sold to Mr. John M. Forbes, and 
by him to the late commodore William 
H. Thomas, who had her very much length- 
ened, in 1876, by Mr. Downing, of South 
Brooklyn. 

There was a race for three cups, this year, 
from New London to Newport, the classes 
being over 120 tons, under 120 tons for 
schooners, and the third cup for all sloops, 
no allowance of time. The wind was mod- 
erate from S. S. W., and the winners were : 
schooners Rambler and Magic, and the 
sloop Grade. 

August II, 1869, there was a race with- 
out allowance of time, over the regular 
Block Island course, for three cups, two 
for schooners and one for sloops. The 
lucky boats were the schooners Phantojn 
and Eva, and the sloop Grade. 


We now come to the great American 
yachting year, 1870, the most important in 
the history of the sport of any that has 
occurred since the introduction of yachting 
in this country, in 1844. It began on the 
opposite side of the Atlantic. After Mr. 
I)ouglass had completed the alterations in 
the schooner Sappho, of which I have al- 
ready written, he started in her for Eng- 
land, determined that she should retrieve 
her record in that country if it was possible 
to do so. Mr. James Ashbury, the owner 
of the schooner Cambria, gladly acceded 
to the desire of Mr. Douglass for a race, 
and a match was made for three races, each 
for a fifty-guinea cup. Two of them were 
to be si.xty miles to windward, and the 
third a triangle, with sides twenty miles 
long. 

The articles of agreement were most 
elaborate, and were probably drawn up by 
Mr. Dixon Kemp, who acted for Mr. Ash- 
bury on this occasion, and who afterwards 
accompanied that gentleman, when he came 
to this country, in the Cambria during this 
same year. The articles were signed by 
Mr. Kemp for Mr. Ashbury, and by Mr. 
J. D. Lee for Mr. Dougla.ss. 

The Sappho went in at her whole ton- 
nage, 310 tons, and the Cambria at 199 
tons. Evidently, Mr. Ashbury did not 
have that healthy respect for the Sappho 
which he came to have afterwards, for he 
sailed this match without allowance of 
time, and of course there could be but 
one result. In the first race, after getting 
over about forty miles of the course, the 
Cambria found herself so far astern that 
she bore up. This was on May 10. On 
May 14 the second trial came on, and the 
judges fixed the course from the Nab to 
the Cherbourg breakwater, sixty-six miles 
south-west. The wind was west-south-west, 
and Mr. Ashbury, or more properly Mr. 
Dixon Kemp, who acted as his adviser, 
protested that it was not dead to windward, 
and the judges “sat down” on Mr. Ash- 
bury very properly, and told him it was 
near enough to dead to windward, and 
as fair for one boat as for another ; also, 
that it was the best they could do for 
him. Whereupon he refused to start, and 
the Sappho went over the course alone. 

The third race came off May 17, the 
courses being west-south-west, south-east 
half east, and north three-quarters east. 
The times at the first mark were ; Sappho, 
ih. 7m. 35s. ; Cambria, ih. iim. 14s. At 
the second mark ; Sappho, qh. 20m. ; Cam- 
bria, 6h., and the. time at the finish need 


42 


TJJE HISTORY OF AMERICAN VACJITING. 


not be given. Of course, the American yacht 
was declared the winner of all three cups. 

It was on June 14, 1870, that the twenty- 
fourth annual regatta was sailed, and there 
were one class of schooners and two of 
sloops, d'here were eleven schooners took 
part in the match, but very few sloops. 
Just then the schooner was the popular 
rig, as it will possibly be again, but it is 
hardly probable ; the men of wealth at 
present who would have built .schooners in 
the olden time, will now build steamers as 
a handier cruising vessel. Nearly all of 
these eleven schooners are still among the 
yachting fleet ; they were the Madgie, 
Magic, Fleetwing, Tidal IVave, Madeleine, 
Alarm, Silvie, Palmer, Phajttom, Alice, and 
Idler. The latter was the winner, and the 
successful sloops were the Sadie and White 
Cap. 

d'he next event, in this yachting year, 
was the ocean match, from (launt Head, 
Ireland, to the Sandy Hook Lightship, by 
the schooners Cambria and Dauntless, for a 
cup of ^250. They entered under the 
following measurements : 

Tons Measuretnenf, 

Name. Owner. N. V. i’.C. A’. T. }'.C. 

Cambria, James Ashbury, 227.6 188 

Dauntless, James Gordon Bennett, Jr., 268.0 321 

'I'hey started July 4, and on arrival, 
although the lightship was the terminal 
point of the race, the official time was 
taken as the yachts passed the buoy off 
Sandy Hook. The Cambria arrived July 
27, at 3.30 P.M. ; the Dauntless, July 27, 
at 4.47 1 \M., a difference of i hour, 
17 minutes. They were both navigated 
by old merchant captains, the Cambria 
having Captain Tannock, who had com- 
manded ships in the trade between Liver- 
pool and Quebec and Montreal ; and the 
Dauntless had Captain Samuels, of Dread- 
naught fame, who, in the Henrietta, had 


won the great ocean race from Sandy 
Hook to Cowes. On board of the Daunt- 
less, also, were “Old Dick Brown,” who 
was in the America when she won her great 
race in 1851, Captain Martin Lyons, a 
Sandy Hook jhlot of great experience, 
and Mr. Bennett was also on board ; and 
it is just possible, and altogether probable, 
that her defeat was due to this excess of 
talent on board of her. 'J'he official record 
of the two passages shows that the Cambria 
was navigated the best. She sailed 2,917 
miles in 23 days, 5 hours, 17 minutes, 5 
second.s, and the Dauntless sailed 2,963 
miles in 23 days, 7 hours. The e.xcess in 
distance, 46 miles, is more than equivalent 
for the difference in time, i hour, 42 min- 
utes, 55 seconds. 

We come now to the first great race in 
this country for the America's Cup, which 
had been made by the owners of the 
Ametica a perpetual international challenge 
prize, and as such had been held in trust 
by the New York Yacht Club ; and as this 
race was followed by many others, in 
which the British schooner Catnbria parti- 
cipated, I may well leave them until a 
future chapter, merely at this point record- 
ing my opinion that this .schooner was the 
smartest of any of the ves.sels of that rig 
that have come here for the America's 
Cup. Her model is in the model room of 
the New York Yacht Club, and in that, 
the largest collection of models in the 
world, there is none that surpasses it in 
gracefulness of outline. She was beaten 
because she was clumsily rigged and can- 
vased. British sailmakers have made an 
immense advance in the making of sails 
for yachts within the past fifteen years, 
and I think I am correct in saying that 
with a modern Lapthorne suit of canvas, 
the Cambria, in 1870, would have carried 
home the America’s Cup. 


THE HISrORY OF AMERICAN YACHriNC. 


1?Y CAPTAIN R. F. COFFIN, 

Author of “ Old Sailok Yarns,” “ The America’s Cur,” etc., etc. 

III. 


THE INTERNATIONAL PERIOD. 

After the year 1870, yachting in this 
country broadened out — became diffused. 
For the first twenty years, it had been 
almost wholly confined to New York and its 
vicinity, and down to the end of the year 
1869, twenty-five years after the parent 
club had been organized, there were not 
many more than a dozen yacht clubs in the 
whole country. There were, however, very 
many small sailing craft held by individual 
owners, and from this time on, these, in 
various sections, have banded themselves 
together, and formed yacht clubs, with 
very beneficial results. Designing, and the 
draughting of sail and spar plans, which, 
previous to this, had been confined to 
professionals, builders, riggers, and sail- 
makers, has been studied by the young 
men of the clubs, and the result has been 
a great improvement in the appearance, as 
well as the performance, of American 
yachts. Young men whose privilege it has 
been to travel, have studied the methods 
of British yachtsmen, and the designs of 
British yachts, and have returned to this 
country with enlarged ideas as to the future 
po.ssibilities of the sport, and the result is a 
type of yacht suited to our shallow and 
generally smooth waters, which combines 
in her design and rig some of the best 
features of the British yacht. The old 
notion that a body could be moved over 
the water easier than through it has been 
found to be untenable, and we are building 
now, vessels of more moderate beam and 
of increased depth. In ballasting the 
yacht, also, there has been an immense 
improvement. Formerly, it was not 
thought that anything more expensive 


than scrap-iron or paving-stones could be 
afforded for ballast, and it was a great ad- 
vance when we got to moulding the iron to 
fit the frames, and in this manner lowering 
the ballast and securing increased stability 
with less weight than before. The substi- 
tution of lead for iron was another advance, 
and for sharp-bottom boats the placing of 
the lead outside is an improvement. Our 
old-fashioned, flat-bottom, light-draught 
boats, however, do not need it there, and 
in some instances it has proved a detri- 
ment, and has had to be removed. 

In rigging and in canvas, we have been 
constantly improving; wire has entirely 
superseded rope for standing rigging, and 
the bringing of the head stay to the knight 
heads with runners from the mast-head aft, 
has given a stability to the mast which pre- 
vents the canvas from getting out of shape 
in strong breezes. This, of course, neces- 
sitates a double-head sail instead of the 
one large jib formerly used, and although 
there is in this substitution a loss of pro- 
pelling power in moderate breezes, a defect 
of the old rig is cured by this substitution, 
and the yacht is handier in a reefing 
breeze. Formerly, when the wind in- 
creased so that the mainsail of the sloop 
had to be reefed, there was a difficulty in 
reducing the forward canvas. A reef was 
clumsy in a jib; a bonnet — for a yacht — 
nine-tenths of whose service is in whole 
sail breezes, was scarcely to be thought of, 
and a “ bob jib ” was an abomination. 
With the double-head sail, the difficulty is 
obviated, and generally, the small jib can 
be carried in any breeze to which the usual 
service of a yacht exposes her; and at all 
events, she can always carry the fore stay- 
sail. A mistake made by sailing masters 

43 


44 


THE HISTORY OF A MERIC AH YACHTING. 



at the first introduction of the double-head 
sails, was that, in racing, they took in the 
jib first. This should never be done, as 
long as it can be carried; as there is but 
slight propelling power in the staysail. 

The advantage, however, of the large 
jib is so apparent, that some of the yachts 
have their forestays fitted so that they can 
be come up with at will, and the big jib can 
be used, if necessary, in races; while, for 
ordinary sailing or cruising, the handier 
double sails are used. From year to year, 
however, we have been improving, and 
where we formerly used ordinary canvas, 
such as was made for coasters generally, 
now, for a yacht of any pretensions, the 
canvas is manufactured especially for her, 
and of narrow cloth. 

It was in 1870, that the Eastern Yacht 
Club — now one of the most important in 


the country — was organized. The Dor- 
chester and the Manhattan also came into 
existence this year, and were followed next 
year by the Seawanhaka and the New Jer- 
sey, the latter securing the old quarters of 
the New York club at the Elysian Fields. 
From this time on, clubs have multiplied 
to an enormous extent, and especially in the 
New England States. All the lake ports 
have their yacht clubs, and there are three 
or four on the Pacific Coast. The South, 
too, has its yacht clubs, some of them very 
thriving organizations. In Philadelphia, 
Baltimore, Charleston, Savannah, St. 
Augustine, Mobile, and New Orleans, 
yachting is active. Still, these organiza- 
tipns are all comparatively young, the 
Quaker City, at Philadelphia, having been 
born in 1876, and the Mobile not until 
1883. 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


45 


So, then, the interest of the public at large 
still centered around the operations of the 
New York club, and especially in its defense 
of the America's Cup. We all remember the 
furore of excitement that there was here, 
last season, when the cutter Genesta came, 
and the Cambria, when she came for it, 
aroused quite as much interest, if not 
more. The mosquitos at Sandy Hook fed 
on a small army of reporters for a week 
before she arrived ; and Mr. Ashbury’s 
movements were chronicled in the daily 
papers, as those of Sir Richard Sutton’s were 
last summer ; and on the day of the race, 



ptecC.S. C^jen 
86 


YAWL “white WI.NG.” * 


which was August 8, 1870, nearly all down- 
town business was suspended, and Broad 
and New streets were well nigh deserted, 
for all New York was upon the water ; and 
if at the Light-ship and the finish there 
were not as many excursion steamers as 
there were last summer, it was because in 
1870 there were not as many in this harbor 
as now. 

The Cambria had to sail for the cup as 
the America first sailed for it — against the 
whole fleet. Mr. Ashbury protested 
against this, claiming that the word 
“ match ” in the deed of gift meant a duel 
between two vessels only, and that the New 
York club was bound to put a single rep- 
resentative vessel against the Cambria ; 
but the club, by a vote of 18 to i (only 
yacht owners can vote), decided that 

* Original owners Wnj. and John Jacob Astor, Shepard 


inasmuch as the America was obliged to sail 
against the whole fleet in order to win the 
cup, so all subsequent competitors for it 
must do the same. In this race, how- 
ever, none but schooners started, and 
of these, counting in the Cambria, there, 
were twenty-five, but only fifteen finished. 
The little Magic won on elapsed, as well as 
corrected time ; and on elapsed time, the 
Dauntless was second. On corrected time, 
however, the Idler was second, Silvie third, 
and America fourth. The Cambria was 
tenth on corrected time. Mr. Ashbury, 
with the Cambria, accompanied the New 
York Yacht Club on its annual cruise, and 
there was a series of races at Newport 
which are memorable. 

The whole fleet raced from New London 
to Newport, telegraphing on and obtaining 

jmans and a dozen others ; present owner C. H. Bliven. 


46 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


the consent of some gentlemen of that 
place to await the arrival of the yachts and 
time them. The Tidal JVave was the wan- 
ner, w’ith the Cambria well in front. 

August 1 6, 1870, began, at Newport, a 
series of races the most brilliant and in- 
teresting in the history of American yacht- 
ing. 

The race upon this day was for two cups 
of 50 guineas each for schooners and sloops, 
presented by Mr. Ashbury, and a cup of 
the same value, presented by members of 
the New York Yacht Club, for the second 
schooner in on time allowance. This was 
to afford the Cambria an opportunity of 
sailing in the match. She could not 
go for her own cup, but in case she came 
first, she could change places with the 
second boat and take the prize. The course 
was the regular one, from off Fort Adams, 
around the Block Island buoy and return, 
and there started thirteen schooners and 
four sloops. No one cared much for the 
sloops in those days, and perchance should 
a schooner again come for the America's 
Cup, the tw^o-masted vessels would again 
come into fashion. I think, however, that 
this is doubtful, for I believe that as racing 
craft, their day has passed on both sides of 
the Atlantic. 

The little Magic again came in a victor, 
with the Catnbria only 26 seconds behind 
her in actual time. So the Magic took the 
Ashbury Cup and the Cambria had the 
subscription cup, while the sloop Grade 
took the Ashbury Cup for yachts of her 
rig. 

Next day, August 17, 1870, the schooners 
Cambria and sailed a race over the 

Block Island course for a 50-guinea cup. 
This was Mr. Ashbury’s standing wager, 
and for this, he w'as willing to sail any 
or all of the schooners of the club in 
succession. Their ratings for this match 
were : 


YACHT. 

OWNER. 

AREA. 

Cambria .... 

James Ashbury . . . 

2,105.8 sq. ft. 

Palmer .... 

Rutherford Stuyvesant 

2.371-9 “ 


The race began with a moderate breeze 
from south-west, backing to south-south- 
west and freshening to a good whole sail 
breeze. Evidently, the Pabner was the 
better boat, and she w'on by nearly seven 
minutes. 

Next day, the Cambria's, match wdth the 
Idler came off, and it was the only one of all 
her matches wTich she w'on. As I sailed 
on the Cambria, on this race, I am perhaps 


better competent to tell the reason of the 
Idler s defeat than most of those who have 
wTitten about it. The two yachts scored 
as follows : 


YACHT. 

OWNER. 

AREA. 

Cambria .... 

James Ashbury . . . 

2,105.8 sq. ft. 

Idler 

Thomas Durant . . . 

1.934-6 “ 


The club record of this race says that the 
wind was fresh from south-west. The direc- 
tion is correct, but the expression of force 
is misleading, as the wind was just a fair 
whole sail breeze. During the previous 
day and night there had been a good 
breeze from south-south-west, and the 
yachts on the starboard tack, heading about 
south, encountered a rather troublesome 
head sea. The Cambria went off with the 
lead, the Idler in her wake, as both reached 
to the southward. As from time to time I 
allowed my head to get above the Cambria's 
rail to glance at the boat in her wake, I 
saw plainly that she was gradually eating 
across our wake and gaining position on 
our weather quarter. Suddenly, about a 
half hour after leaving the Brenton’s Reef 
Light-ship, the Idler tacked, and it became 
a serious question with us whether we 
should allow her to go off alone. The 
plain rules of racing required that we 
should go around after her, but the south- 
ern tack was so manifestly the best, the 
westerly tide being on our lee bow, that we 
continued on. We were more than satis- 
fied with this course when, upon tacking 
later on, the yacht’s head came up to west- 
by-south, and sometimes west-south-west, 
and we weathered the Idler very neatly, 
and fetched the mark ; and at the finish, 
the Cambria had the race by nearly 8m., 
corrected time. 

But then I learned that the reason for 
the Idler's tacking and leaving us was, 
that the plate to which the bob-stay sets 
up had drawn out of the stem, and she 
could no longer head the sea, without 
danger of losing bowsprit and masts. On 
the port tack, the sea was more abeam, and 
to a strap through the hawser-holes a tackle 
was got to the bowsprit end, and the course 
was completed. I am certain, however, 
that the Idler lost more than eight minutes, 
and therefore, but for this accident, she 
would have won. It must be remembered 
that at this time neither Idler nor Palmer 
were what they were made to be later on, 
very extensive alterations having been 
made in both yachts, under the superin- 
tendence of Mr. Henry Steers. 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


47 


At this time the late Henry G. Stebbins 
\vas the commodore of the club, and Mr. 
Wm. P. Douglass was the vice-commodore, 
Mr. J. G. Bennett was the rear commodore, 
and before the fleet left Newport to pro- 
ceed to the eastward, in continuation of its 
cruise, Mr. Bennett offered a cup to be 
raced for on or after September 5, on the 
return of the fleet to Newport, by schooners 
solely, the course to be over what has since 
been known as the long Newport ('ourse, 
from the Light-ship on Brenton’s Reef to 
and around the Block Island buoy; thence, 
to the Sow and Pigs’ Light-ship, and back 
to the place of departure, without allow- 
ance of time ; each yacht to subscribe $25, 
to be invested in a cup for the second 
schooner, or for the Dauntless should she 
be first ; this second prize to be determined 
by allowance of time. At the same time, 
Mr. Douglass offered a prize for schooners, 
to be sailed on the 6th of September, from 
the Light-ship on Brentons’ Reef to the 
Block Island buoy and return, without al- 
lowance of time, with $25 subscripton, as in 
the Bennett race for second schooner, with 
allowance of time to be given to the 
Sappho, if first. 

At the same time, Mr. Ashbury 
offered a orize for schooners and one 


also for sloops, to be sailed September 7, 
from Bateman’s Point around the Block 
Island buoy and return, with time allow- 
ance ; but if no sloops enter, then the first 
schooner to take both prizes ; and Mr. 
Rutherford Stuyvesant offered a prize for 
the Cambria, if she was either first or 
second schooner on allowance of time, thus 
making a race for her, as she could not 

I 



Ftec(. S, 


SLOOP FANNY. 


48 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 



SCHOONER 


MAGIC. 




win her own cup. Having thus arranged 
for plenty of sport on the return, the club 
went on to the eastward, sailing first to 
New Bedford ; and I presume that the en- 
trance of the fleet into that old whaling 
port will never be forgotten by those who 
witnessed it ; the Dauntless and Cambria 
coming in nearly side by side, before a 
fresh breeze, carrying square foresails and 
fore top-sails, water-sails and ring-tail even, 
until they rounded to at the anchorage, 
and then letting everything come down 
by the run. 

At Oak Bluffs, Martha’s Vineyard, which 
was the next stopping place, the fleet was 


caught in a north-east gale, which came on 
suddenly in the night, and a few of the 
yachts were blown ashore. The rest, and 
among them the Cambria, succeeded in get- 
ting under way, and made a harbor at Ed- 
gartown. 

After the return of the fleet to Newport, 
the first of the series of arranged races 
noted above, namely, that for the Bennett 
Cup, was sailed September 8, with a fresh 
breeze, south-east, the starters being the 
Cambria, Sappho, Palmer, Vesta, Tidal 
Wave, Idler, Madeleine, Halcyon, Phantom 
and Madgie. The only two timed on the 
conclusion of the sixty-four-mile course 


1 Original owner Franklin Osgood-; afterwards J. Lester Wallack and Rufus Hatch. She had formerly been called the 
Madgie. She was built in Philadelphia. Present owner Chas. G. Weld, of Boston. 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTIA^G. 


49 


were the Palmer at 6h. 34m., p.xM., and 
the Cambria, 6h. 38m.. p.m. The Sappho 
lost main topmast and split mainsail. The 
Cambria took the subscription cup. The 
other races of this series were postponed 
until after arrival in New York, but on 
September 9, the Cajubria, Phantom and 
Madeleine sailed a match over the regular 
Block Island course for a 50-guinea cup ; 
and with a fresh breeze south-south-west, 
\.\\Q Phantom beat the Cambria 23m. 53s.; 
and the Madeleine, which came second, 
beat the British schooner 9m. 43s., after 
having been crippled by carrying away one 
of her bowsprit shrouds at the beginning 
of the race. This was the most crushing 
defeat which the Cambria encountered 
while in this country. The citizens of New- 
port now, in return for nearly a month’s 
patronage by so fine a fleet as this, and in 
honor of Mr. Ashbury, offered a cup valued 
at $500, with a subscription club cup for 
second schooner ; and this race, one of the 
most notable in the club’s history, was sailed 
September 1 1, over the regular club course. 

There were eleven schooners started, but 
only four — the Palmer, Phantom, Daunt- 
less and Cambria — were timed on the re- 
turn. The start was made in a light air 
from south-west, which increased afterwards 
to a fair sailing breeze, and the yachts beat 
down to the buoy and rounded it. Just 
after getting all fancy kites aloft for the 
run back, the wind shifted in a hard squall 
to north-east, settling into that point, after 
the squall had passed, a reefing breeze 
with rain. Every yacht in the fleet save 
the Cambria met with more or less mishap, 
the Dauntless losing fore topmast. 

The yachts arrived in the order given 
above, the Phantom (at that time flag-ship) 
taking the City Cup, and the Palmer, 
“ scooping^” the subscription prize. The 
Cambria was a long way astern of the 
Dauntless, and the rest of the fleet did not 
arrive until long after night-fall. 

On the return of the fleet to this city, 
the racing was resumed, the New York 
gentlemen apparently determined to give 
Mr. Ashbury all the sport he desired, and 
to send the Cambria home with her locker 
full of cups. The season was getting ad- 
vanced, and the honored visitor was be- 
coming a trifle impatient, desiring to get 
home before the storms of the winter came 
on; so, on September 28, the Newport 
prizes, left over, were sailed for at the same 
time; viz., the cup offered by Mr. Douglass 
without allowance with Mr. Ashbury’s cup 
for sloops and schooners, both cups to go to 


best schooner if no sloops started, and the 
cup offered by Mr. Rutherford Stuyvesant 
for the Cambria if she was either first or 
second; and the course was from buoy 
No. off the Point of Sandy Hook, 
twenty miles to windward and return. In 
this race, the Cambria was nowhere. The 
Dauntless w’onihe Douglass Cup, the Tidal 
Wave, the Ashbury Cups, and the Made- 
leine the Stuyvesant Cup. , 

October 13, the great match of the 
Sappho and Cambria was sailed twenty 
miles to leeward from the S^ndy Hook 
Light-ship and return for a 50-guinea cup, 
the race to be made in five and a half 
hours. The Sappho beat the Cambria, 
50m. 50s. in this race, the wind being 
strong from north-west. The race was not 
made inside of the stipulated time, how- 
ever, and no prize was given. 

Next day, the Dauntless and Cambria 
raced for 50 guineas, twenty miles to wind- 
ward from buoy No. 5 off the Hook, and 
return, and the Dauntless won by 12m. 30s. 
actual, and 7m. i8s. corrected time. 

This satisfied Mr. Ashbury, and he soon 
after took the steamer for home; Captain 
Tannock taking the yacht across, and one 
more grand ocean race, between the Sap- 
pho and Dauntless, in which the Sappho 
won by 12m. 45s., earning the title of 
“ Queen of the Seas,” concluded the yacht- 
ing of this racing year. 

During the ensuing winter, as it was 
tolerably certain that Mr. Ashbury was to 
return with a new yacht, the measurement 
of the clnb was changed, so that the skim- 
ming dish should have rather the best of 
it, in competing with the deep keel yachts, 
and cubical contents were substituted for 
superficial area. I think it is the fairest 
system of measurement ever adopted by 
this or any other club. As showing its 
operations, I will give the following entries 
for the twenty-fifth annual regatta which 
was sailed June 22, 1871 : 


SCHOONERS. 


YACHT. 

OWNERS. 

Ct’UIC FEET. 

Tidal Wave . 

Wm. Voorhis 

3269 

Eva .... 

S. J. Macy 

2233 

Madeleine . . 

Jacob Voorhis, Jr 

3824 

Wanderer . . 

Louis J. Lorillard .... 

5346 

Alarm . . . 

A. C. Kingsland .... 

5891 

Columbia . . 

Frank Osgood 

4861 

Idler. . . . 

Thomas C. Durant .... 

2932 

Foam . . . 

Sheppard Homans .... 

2496 

Surfehine . . 

E. Burd Grubb 

850 

Magic . . . 

J. Lester Wallack .... 

2492 

Dauntless . . 

James Gordon Bennett, Jr. . 

7124 

Tarolinta . . 

H. A. Kent 

3629 

Rambler . . 

James H. Banker .... 

5909 

Alice . . . 

George W. Kidd .... 

1806 

Sappho . . . 

Wm. P. Douglass .... 

7431 

Palmer . . . 

R. Stuyvesant 

4564 

Halcyon . . 

James R. Smith 

2864 


5° 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


SLOOPS. 


YACHT. 

OWNERS. 

CUBIC FEET. 

Breeze . . . 

A. C. Kingsland, Jr. . 

50s 

Gracie . . . 

William Krebs 

1473 

Ariadne . . 

Theodore A. Strange . . . 

558 

Addie . . . 

William H. Langley . . . 

1099 

Vixen . . . 

Ludlow Livingston .... 

707 

It is said that after a season of as great 

excitement 

as that of 1870, the next one 


may be counted on as being rather dull ; 
but this was not the case during the season 
of 1871. Probably the certainty that Mr. 
Ashbury was again coming for the cup 
kept the interest from flagging, and then, 
in addition to this, Mr. Bennett had been 
elected commodore, and the young ele- 
ment in the club was in control. It was at 
this regatta that Mr. Bennett’s challenge 
cups for schooners and sloops were first 
safled for, and the great controversy as to 
the South-west Spit buoy arose. Before 
^this, the yachts of the club had always 
’turned buoy No. 10, and therefore there 
ought not to have been a question about 
the matter ; but as part of the fleet turned 
No. 10, and part No. 8)4, and as if No. 10 
was the right mark, the Idler won, while if 
No. 8)4 was the turning-point, the Tidal 
JVave won, and as the club excursion boat 
went and laid at No. 8)4, while the judges’ 
tug lingered at No. 10, the matter was 
complicated, and was referred to Mr. Geo. 
W. Blunt, pilot commissioner, to the 
Hydrographic Office, at Washington, and 
to various Sandy Hook pilots. 

All of the pilots said : “Although buoy 
8)4 is on the Spit, No. 10 is the proper 
Spit buoy, and if you attempt to turn 8)4, 
with twenty-two feet of water, you will go 
aground.” Mr. Blunt and the Hydro- 
graphic Office said, “ 8)4 being on the 
Spit, is the Spit buoy,” and the Tidal 
Wave was given the race, but the club 
since that time has ordered its yachts to 
turn both buoys, so that there can be no 
mistake. 

At this regatta, there was also another 
innovation, the effect of the ascendency of 
the young and progressive element. Two 
prizes, one of $600 for schooners, and one 
of $400 for sloops, were offered open to 
yachts of any recognized yacht club, and 
for these, in addition to the sloops named 
above, there entered the Peerless, Atlantic 
club ; the Kaiser Wilhelm, Brooklyn 
club, and the Coming, Eastern Club. 
There were no outside schooners, no other 
club than the New York, even down to 
this date, having any boats of that rig 
large enough to compete here. 


The Tidal JVave took all three cups : the 
Bennett challenge, the subscription and the 
regular club cup ; the Columbia, then brand 
new, being second. The sloop Addie, took 
all three prizes ; the Grade coming second. 

This seems curious - to us now, but at 
that time, the Grade was a very different 
yacht from what she is at present. The 
judges who decided this question of the 
buoys were Messrs. Philip Schuyler, Stuart 
M. Taylor and William Butler Duncan. 

On June 27, in this year — 1871 — 
the Brooklyn Yacht Club first became 
prominent, and at its regatta, all the prin- 
cipal schooners of the New York Yacht 
Club appeared as starters. As previously 
stated, Mr. Jacob Voorhis, Jr., owner of 
the Madeleine, and a millionaire, had been 
elected as its commodore, and had carried 
with him many of the New York owners. 
Some of them never knew of their being 
proposed for membership, until they re- 
ceived the notification of the club secre- 
tary, with a receipt for initiation fee and a 
year’s dues, which had been paid by Com- 
modore Voorhis. 

The measurement was by the old New 
York rule of superficial area, under which 
the Columbia went in at 1,694 feet ; Daunt- 
less, 1,924, and Sappho, 1,979. The Daunt- 
less came in first and won the prize, with- 
out allowance ; but the club and union 
prizes were given to the Madeleine by three 
seconds. There is good reason for saying 
at this lapse of time, that the decision was 
a mistaken one, and that it was only be- 
cause she was “ Our Commodore’s ” yacht 
that these prizes were awarded to her, the 
Columbia having won them, beyond a doubt. 
The sloop Grade took the prize without 
allowance, and the Union prize, beating 
the Addie 4m. 23s. ; but not belonging to 
the club, she could not win the club prize, 
and that was captured by the Addie, which 
beat the Kate over 14 minutes. 

The decision in favor of the Madeleine 
was the first thing which caused the decline 
and fall of the Brooklyn club. It was 
evidently so unjust that Mr. Osgood with- 
drew, and carried several others with him ; 
and although the club had a seeming pros- 
perity for a couple of year§ after this, it 
was hollow. Mr. Osgood sent the follow- 
ing letter to the regatta committee, 
Messrs. W. W. Van Dyke, Alonzo Slote, 
W. B. Nichols, John H. Lewis and S. P. 
Bunker : 

i 

Gentlemen : I suppose it is only necessary for 
me to draw your attention to the unaccountable mis- 
take in your decision in regard to the race yesterday. 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICA AT YACHTING. 


51 


to have you rectify the error. The time which elapsed 
between the passing of the home stake boat by the Col- 
umbia and the Madeleine is incorrectly given, being 
3m. 13s., instead of im. 13s. The time was obtained 
from your own appointed time-keeper. Unquestion- 
ably, to my mind. Commodore Voorhis must be fully 
aware of the actual difference in the time of arrival of 
our respective boats, as on an occasion like this every 
yacht owner knows the time of his passing the home 
stake boat. I am prepared to furnish you with full 
proof to substantiate my claim of having fairly 
beaten the Madeleine. 

June 28, 1871. 

Two or three times, summer residents at 
Cape May have induced the New York 
yachtsmen to come down there and sail a 
race, and the first time that this occurred 
was in this season of 1871. Attracted by 
the offer of two $1,000 cups, one for 
schooners and one for sloops, open to any 
yacht-club in the world, several of the 
schooners of the New York club and 
sloops of that and other clubs went down. 
They found a miserable harbor, very diffi- 
cult of entrance, and an open roadstead 
with poor anchorage outside ; and came 
home vowing that nothing should tempt 
them there again. 

These were the yachts which went 
down. Schooners : Sappho., Daunt- 
less, Rambler, Alarm, Wanderer, 
Columbia, Pabner, Madeleine, Tidal 
Wave, Madgie, Eva and Sun- 
shine. Sloops : Grade and 
Vindex, of the New York, and 


39^ miles. If the affair was remarkable 
for anything, it was for the sailing of the 
schooner Wanderer on the passage down. 
In a nice working breeze dead ahead, she 
beat the Sappho and Dauntless 
handsomely. In an all day beat, 
the breeze steady, she led the 
Dauntless about an hour and 
the Sappho over an hour 
and a quarter. And she 
has never sailed remark- 
ably well since. Cap- 
tain “ Bob ” Fish was 
on board of her 
on this occasion, 
and said on 
arrival at 
Cape May, 



Daphne of the Atlantic club. The race 
was sailed July 4, from a point off the 
hotels at Cape May, to and around the 
Five Fathom Light-ship ; thence five miles 
northeast to a stake-boat, and back to 
the place of departure, a total distance of 


that he could make her do better. He got 
permission to alter her trim, and did so, 
and the next day, in the race, she was 
nowhere. 

The Sappho was bound up too tight. 
Next day, the lanyards of her rigging were 


52 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


eased a trifle, and she beat all the other 
yachts with ease. 

'Fhe Dauntless., Sappho and Wanderer 
raced from Sandy Hook to the Cape May 
Light-ship for a $500 cup, a little private 
arrangement 5 and as stated, the Wanderer 
won. The schooner Dreadnought made 
her first appearance in this trip to Cape 
May, but her performance on the way 
down did not warrant Captain Samuels in 
entering her for the race, and although she 


iron, for one thing, and I think that in time, 
iron will supersede wood entirely for the 
hulls of yachts. Then, too, she had parts 
of the cutter rig ; that is, she had the short 
mast and long topmast ; but I think her 
mainsail laced to the boom, and that she 
had a standing jib. She had also a stay to 
the knight heads, and a stay-sail. Mr. Cen- 
ter, who designed her, afterwards had her 
jib to set flying, and found it a great im- 
provement. 



started with the lot, she did not return, but 
bore up and ran for New York. 

The Sappho took the Citizen’s Cup with 
time allowance, and the Benson Cup (both 
$1000 mugs), beating the Columbia 5m. 5s. 
The Grade took the Citizens’ Cup for 
sloops, beating the Vindex 2m. 37s. The 
latter yacht was new, and she also em- 
bodied several new principles. She was 


So far as model was concerned, the Vin- 
dex had little in common with the modern 
cutter, being over 17 feet beam on a water- 
line length of 56 feet. She may, however, 
I think, be said to have been the first Amer- 
ican-built sloop that was cutter rigged. 

During the August cruise, this year, 
1871 — for the first time the Eastern and 
New York club fleets joined each other 


> Original owner R. F. Loper ; present owner Rutherford Stuyvesant. 



THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


53 


and, with some few exceptional years, have 
done so ever since. Many New York club 
members joined the Eastern, and some of 
the gentlemen of the Eastern club joined 
the New York. There has been a com- 
munity of interest between them ever since. 
They joined company this year, at Newport, 
and sailed east around Cape Cod and had 
a regatta at Swampscott, Mass., for prizes, 
$1000 for schooners and $500 for sloops, 
offered by the Eastern club, and to be 
sailed according to its rules. There were 
also prizes offered by the citizens of 
Swampscott — $800 for schooners, and $400 
for sloops, without any time allowance. 

As showing that even as late as 1871, no 
other club than the New York was of much 
importance, I will give the vessels of the 
two clubs and their sizes. The New York 
club entered, schooners : Columbia (220) ; 
Sappho (274) ; Dauntless (268) ; Fleetwing 
(206) ; Dreadnought (275) ; Idler (133) ; 
Wanderer (187) ; Tarolinta (178) ; Hal- 
cyon (121) ; Magic (91) ; Eva (81) ; Foam 
(in) ; Tidal Wave (153) ; Vesta (201) ; 
Sprite (77) ; Rambler (242). 

The Eastern Club had the schooners : 
Rebecca (77) ; Belle (45) ; Edith (47) ; 
Juniata (81) ; Vivien (52) ; Ethel (60) ; 
Julia (80) ; lanthe (35) ; Glimpse (59) ; 
Dawn (41) ; Silvie (106) ; 
and Zephyr (41). 

In sloops, the New York 
club entered the Vixen (32) ; 

Sadie (26); Grade (58); 
and Vindex (61). 

The Eastern club had 
sloops Alarm (21) ; Alice 
(24) ; Coming (54) ; Violet 
(15) ; Narragansett (28). 


Things have changed relatively since 
that time, and to-day the Eastern Club has 
the finest club-house in America, on Mar- 
blehead Neck, and some of its schooners 

— the Ambassadress, Eortuna, Gitana, etc, 

— are the peers of any in the world ; while 
the Puritan, Thetis, and a half-dozen other 
big sloops cannot be beaten by single- 
stick vessels anywhere. 

This course at Swampscott was 39X 
miles in length, and there started thirty- 
three yachts, of which thirty finished the 
course. It was the largest number which 
had ever competed in American waters. 





FROLIC, SAN FRANCISCO. 


54 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


Now-a-days we think nothing of starting 
over a hundred. The Colurtibici took the 
Eastern Club prize, and also the Swamp- 
scott, and the Grade took both of the 
sloop prizes. The wind was moderate 
from east-south-east. 

The cup awarded to the Tidal IV ave on 
the occasion of the muddle about the buoys 
8)4 and lo, was not retained by the owner 
of that schooner. He returned it to the 
club, and it was again raced for over the 
Block Island course, August 21, 1871 ; the 
conditions of the deed of gift providing 
that it may be competed for over either of 
these club courses ; and to make the 
matter interesting, the flag officers sub- 
scribed for a cup for sloops. Eight schoon- 
ers and four sloops started, and the prizes 
were won by the schooner Madgie and the 
sloop Sadie. The Sappho made the best 
time, but was beaten 45 >4 s. by the Madgie 
on time allowance. 

August 22, 1871, an attempt was made 
to sail for the Douglass $1,000 Cup over 
the 64-mile course off. New- 
port, and there started the 
schooners Wanderer, Alarm, 

Dauntless, Dreadnought, 

Palmer, Tidal Wave and 
Madgie. Only the Palmer 
and Dauntless were timed at 
the finish, and they did not 
arrive until after nine o’clock 
in the evening, long after the 


nine-hour limit had expired. August 24, 
a start was made for the Lorillard Cup 
of $1,000 over the long course, but the 
chance of doing the distance in nine hours 
was so remote, that only the Sappho, 
Palmer and Dreadnought put in an appear- 
ance at the starting line, and a thick 
fog prevailing, the judges decided not 
to start the boats. There was, however, 
a good breeze, and Vice-commodore 
Douglass determined to try the Sappha 
over the course alone. I was fortunate in 



THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


55 


having been on board of her on this occa- 
sion, and enjoyed a most beautiful sail, the 
yacht having made the course in less time 
than it had ever, as matter of record, been 
done before. She started at i2h. 12m., 
with wind south-west, and we beat down to 
the buoy, heading south on one tack and 
west on the other, the yacht going a nice 
clean full, and doing better, I thought, than 
if she had been racing. That celebrated 
racing skipper, “ Sam ” Greenwood was at 
the wheel, and he had a way, I thought, of 
pinching the Sappho too much. She would 
work in seven points ; but for her best 
work she required eight. Given a good 
^clean full within four points of the wind, 
she was the smartest- vessel in the whole 
world. On this occasion she rounded the 
Block Island buoy at 3h., 19m., los., and, 
running with only working topsails, balloon 
jib topsail and main topmast stay-sail 
for light kites, she turned the Sow and 
Pigs Light-ship at 6h., 30m. She could 
then just lie her course for the finish, 
and arrived there at 8h., om., 30s., 
having made the 64 miles in 7h., 

48m., 30s., beating the record. 

There was another trial for 
the cup over this course August 
25, the Sappho^ Dreadnought 
and Madgie starting. The 
Madgie withdrew when a 
part of the course had 


I have said that the Brooklyn Yacht 
Club was about this time coming into 
some prominence ; but without the aid of 
the New York it did not make much of a 
show, even as late as August, 1871. It had 
its cruise at the same time as the New York 
club had, and it had a regatta at New 
London, August 25, 1871. The only 
schooners it could boast were the Made- 
leine (the flag-ship) and Fleur de Lis, at 
that time owned by Mr. John R. Dick'pr- 
son, the present owner of the Madeleine ; 
and of its sloops were the Qui Vive, 





been covered, and the other two made the 
course, but not in nine hours. Their times 
are worth giving, as showing how close the 
Dreadnought, on this occasion, came to the 
Sappho. They were, Sappho, loh., 12m., 
os.; Dreadnought, loh., i8m., 45.*; a differ- 
ence of 6m., 4s., in favor of the Sappho on 
elapsed time, and in a race of that distance 
on allowance, she would have won. 


Kate, Kaiser Wilhelm, Maggie B., Sophia, 
Mary, Recreation, Jennie, Twilight, West 
Wind, Nettie B., Ada, Nettle, Frolic, Twi- 
light, Carrie, Khedive, Water Lily, Ah Sin, 
Haidee, and Annie. Many of these were 
yachts belonging to New London. The 
Maggie B., at this time, was owned by the 
celebrated “Tom Thumb,” who was a 
member of the Brooklyn club, and had a 


56 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


racing crew of Bridgeport fishermen, who 
made the Maggie very hard to beat. Their 
diminutive owner was immensely popular 
with them. 

The Sophia, another of these sloops, had 
a most melancholy ending, having capsized 
and sunk in the Sound, a few years ago, 
with loss of several lives. 

I mention this regatta of the Brooklyn 
club, because my readers may have thought 


York club, although the Eastern and the 
Brooklyn, fostered and encouraged by the 
New York, were coming into prominence. 

It was on this cruise of the New York 
club, and while at Newport, that it received 
Mr. Ashbury’s proposition to come here in 
the schooner Livonia for the America's 
Cup. 

As that gentleman has been somewhat 
misrepresented, I will state exactly what 



the title of these chapters a misnomer, and 
that instead of being a history of American 
yachting, it was simply a history of the 
New York Yacht Club. But in point of 
fact, down to this time, there was little 
else of American yachting save the New 


his proposition was. He was to come 
representing twelve different clubs, and in 
his letter he says distinctly : “ If the 
Livonia shall win a majority of the races, 
the cup would then go to the club under 
whose flag I sailed in the last and final 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


race and he wanted a series of twelve 
races. He has been represented as desir- 
ing to sail twelve races, and if he won o/ie 
out of the Hvelve, to take the cup. I feel 
like saying that Mr. Ashbury was not 
treated over and above fairly by the New 
York club, and am glad to have him set 
right on this important point. 

As I have said, the club received this 
proposition at a regular club meeting 
held on the Dauntless, and some .of 
the members were in favor of replying 
and rejecting a proposition which no one 
at the meeting ever dreamed of accepting. 
Others, however, said, “ Let him come and 
we’ll make terms with him after he gets 
here,” and Mr. Ashbury was induced to 
bring the Livonia here under the impres- 
sion that the propositions contained in his 
letter of August 12, which was submitted 
at this meeting, had been accepted. 

The last race of this brilliant series 
at Newport, was for the usual cup pre- 
sented annually by the citizens and valued 
at $1,000, which was sailed August 28, 
over the usual Block Island course. 
There were nine starters, and with the 
usual moderate south-west wind, the 
Palmer, at the Block Island buoy, had a 
long lead and looked a sure winner; but in 
gybing around the buoy, one of Mr. Stuy- 
vesant’s guests was taken overboard by the 
main sheet. He swam towards the stake 
boat anchored near the buoy, and shouted 
to Mr. Stuyvesant to go on, but that gen- 
tleman refused to do so, and rounded to 
and took him on board again, thus giving 
away her chance for this splendid prize. 


57 

which was finally won by tlie Sappho, beat- 
ing the Columbia 3m. 8s. 

October 2, 1871, after the return of the , 
club to New York, the sloop Grade chal- 
lenged the Addie for the Bennett Cup over 
the New York course, and won it by 22s. 

Then the yachts or some of them went 
on to Newport again to sail the unfinished 
races for the Douglass and Lorillard Cups 
over the long 64-mile course. That f(^r 
the Lorillard Cup was sailed October 9, 
1871, the starters being th6 Enchantress — 
then owned by Mr. George Lorillard — 
the Palmer, Dreadnought, and Sappho. 
The Dreadnought carried away flying jib 
boom before the start and ran back to the 
harbor. The Enchantress struck a sunken 
rock or wreck running from the Block 
Island buoy to the Sow and Pigs. The 
other two kept on, and the Sappho won, 
making the races in 7!!. 24m. 58s., and beat- 
ing her own record. There was a moder- 
ate gale from south-west. 

October 10, the unfinished race for the 
Douglass $1,000 cup was sailed over the 
Newport long course, in a fresh northerly 
breeze; the starters being the Dreadnought, 
Palmer, Madgie, and Wanderer. It was in 
this race, that the Dreadnought immortal- 
ized herself, beating the Palmer and finish- 
ing the race in 7h. 33m. 58s., coming within 
nine minutes of the Sappho's time in the 
preceding race. This concluded the rac- 
ing for this year, e.xcept the Livonia races 
for the America’s Cup and those which 
grew out of the visit of that yacht to this 
country, and these I will reserve for a fu- 
ture chapter. 




THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 

BY CAPTAIN R. F. COFFIN, 


Author of “Old Sailor Yarns,” “The America’s Cur,” etc., etc. 

IV. 


FROM 1871 to 1876. 

When Mr. Ashbury came here with the 
schooner Livonia, in 1871, for the Amer- 
icas Cup, I don’t think that he had much 
hope of winning it, for the performance of 
his yacht in the British waters had not de- 
veloped any speed superior to that of the 
Cajnbria, and that schooner — as had been 
abundantly shown — was inferior to most 
of the American yachts ; but Mr. Ashbury 
had built the Livonia expressly for this 
service, had challenged for the cup, and 
his challenge had been accepted, and with 
true British perseverance, he determined 
to see the thing through. Then, too, it 
was said, that he was desirous of being re- 
turned to Parliament, and naturally ex- 
pected that a recognition of his pluck and 
enterprise would materially assist his can- 
vass, whether he was successful in his quest 
for the cup or not. In this he was proba- 
bly correct, for on his return after these 
races he became M. P. for Harwich. 

The Livonia arrived here October i, 
1871, after a passage of nearly twenty-nine 
days, and after considerable correspond- 
ence, the match was finally made to con- 
sist of the best four out of seven races, 
three of which were to be over the club 
course and four over a course twenty miles 
to windward (or leeward) from the Sandy 
Hook Light-ship and return. It is not 
necessary to go into the details of these 
races. The club committee selected the 
keel schooners Sappho and Dauntless, and 
the center-board schooners Columbia and 
L^almer, reserving the right to name either 
of these four as a competitor for the 


Livonia on the morning of each race. I 
will give the size and ownership of the five 
yachts. 


NAME. 

OWNER. 

DIS- 

PLACE- 

MENT. 

1 

APPOR- 

TION- 

MENT. 

Livonia 

Jamefi Ashbury 

6,651 

7 iI 24 

1,881 

1,924 

Dauntless... 

James 0 . Bennett, Jr... 

Sappho 

Palmer 

w. P. Douglass 

Rutherford Stuyvesant. . 

7,431 

4,546 

4,861 

1,951 

1,659 

Columbia. . . 

Franklin Osgood 

1,694 


Mr. Ashbury had vainly protested against 
the selection of four vessels, claiming that 
as he had but one, so only one should be 
put against her for the whole series of 
races ; but he finally yielded this point, and 
the races were sailed, three between the 
Columbia and Livonia and two between the 
Sappho and Livonia. The dates were Oc- 
tober 16, 18 and 19 with the Columbia, and 
October 21 and 23 with the Sappho. The 
only race won by the Livonia was the third, 
on October 19, over the club course, in a 
fresh breeze from west-south-west. The 
Colutnbia ought not to have been started in 
this race, as her crew were worn out by the 
race of the previous day, and her owner 
and officers had not supposed that she 
would be again selected. She carried away 
her flying jib stay, when rounding the Spit 
buoy, going out, and this causing her to 
gripe badly, her steering gear gave out on 
the return. She was beaten 19m. 33s. 
actual time, and 15m. los. corrected time. 

There was a dispute as to the second 
race, which was over the outside course, 
the captain of the British yacht, believing 

58 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


59 


that he had to leave the* outer mark on the 
starboard hand, gybed his boat around it 
in order to do so. The captain of the 
Columbia, who had, previous to the start, 
been informed that he could turn it either 
way, luffed around and secured an advan- 
tage by doing so. Mr. Ashbury asked that 
this race might be thrown out and another 
sailed in place of it, but the committee re- 
fused. I was on board of the Columbia 
during this race, and I think that Mr. 
Ashbury’s request was a 
proper one. The Livonia 
had led the Columbia all 
the way to the outer mark, 
and but for this misun- 
derstanding, would have 
begun the return in the 
lead. It was a straight 



f-rea. S. Co3^n? 


reach to the finish, and it was possible for her 
to have won. As the committee was clearly 
at fault in not giving explicit directions as 
to how the mark should be turned, and as 
they had given permission to one skipper to 
turn either way, and had not given the same 
permission to the other, and as it was evident 
that the captain of the Livonia — following 
the racing rule of England, which provides 
that all marks shall be left on the starboard 
hand unless other direction be given — 
had lost time, Mr. Ashbury’s request was a 
reasonable one, and should have been 
granted. The committee were Moses H. 


Grinnell (chairman), Sheppard Gandy, 
Robert S. Hone, Philip Schuyler and 
Charles A. Minton. In support of its de- 
cision, the committee called attention to the 
protest made by the owner of the yacht 
Brilliant SigdansX. the America in the original 
race for the cup, claiming that the America 
had gone the wrong side of the Nab Light 
ve.ssel, and the British committee decided 
that the America, having no written in- 
structions, could go either side. But this 
was hardly a parallel case, and in this Co- 
lumbia- Livonia matter the committee were 
so clearly at fault in omitting the written 


6o 


t 




THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


instruction that Mr. Ashbury’s very reason- 
able request for another race should, 1 
think, have been granted. It should be 
stated, however, that Mr. Ashburj^’s first 
claim was that the race be awarded to the 
Livonia, and this the committee was right 
in refusing. 

After the final race with the Sappho, 
however, October 23, Mr. Ashbury sent a 
communication to the committee, inform- 
ing them that the Livonia would be at her 
station the next day for the sixth race, and 
also on the following day for the seventh, 
he claiming that he had already won two 
races, and that these two would give him 
the cup. The committee sent no answer to 
this, and the Livonia went over the course 
in a race with the Dauntless for a fifty- 
guinea cup, the match being sailed under 
the old 1 860 measurement, the yachts being 
entered as follows : Dauntless, 2,899 
square feet; Livonia, 2,512 square feet. 
They went to windward from the light- ship, 
and the Dauntless won by iim. 3s. actual 
and 6m. 3s. corrected time. By the new 
system she would win by lom. 31s. 

* Mr. Ashbury did not carry out his prom- 
ise of sailing over alone on the next day. 


and this match ended his racing m Amer- 
ica. Either one of the four schooners 
selected could have beaten the Livonia 
always in any square race. 

There were two more ocean races as a 
wind-up to the season of 1871 : the Sappho 
and Dauntless each sailing a match with 
the Dreadnought for $250 cups, and each 
beating her with ease. The Dreadnought 
was built originally for Mr. Frederick W. 
Lane, who, I believe, never went on board 
of her. Before she was finished, he had 
altered his mind, and concluded that he 
did not want a yacht, and captain Samuels, 
under whose superintendence she was 
built, was running her during this season 
in order to find a customer for her. She 
was afterwards purchased by Mr. A. B. 
Stockwell, and by him sold to the late C. J. 
Osborn, who had Mr. Henry Steers 
lengthen her, making her a much faster 
yacht than before. I may say, in concluding 
the events of the year, that Mr. Ashbury left 
for England, October 30, on the Cunard 
steamer, and Captain Wood took the 
Livonia home. At the first meeting of the 
New York Yacht Club in the year 1872, a 
letter was read from Mr. Ashbur\^, in which 





THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


6i 



he charged tne club with unsportsmanlike 
conduct, and the club at once ordered that 
the cups he had left to be sailed for should 
be returned to him, and that ended his con- 
nection with American yachting. 

From this time on, yachting events have 
been too numerous to mention them in de- 
tail, and I shall only refer to the most 
important. It was in this year that the At- 
lantic club began to come into prominence, 
with Mr. William Voorhis as its commo- 
dore, and the schooner Tidal Wave as its 


from the fact that the flying start was 
adopted — the fairest way of starting 
yachts which has yet been tried — and it 
was also remarkable from the fact that in 
an e.xceptionally fine lot of schooners, the 
little lanthe, the very slowest of the lot, 
beat all of them without allowance of time. 
When all except her had been out around 
the light-ship and were returning, they met 
her at the bar buoy going out. They Ml 
got becalmed in the bay, and with a strong 
flood drifted away to the westward, while 
the lanthe., with a cracking breeze, went out 
to the light-ship and returned, and keeping 
in a little cat’s-paw of wind, luffed over 
close to Coney Island Point, and went on 
up to the finish-line, dis- 
tancing the lot. The Peerless 
took the schooner prize on 
allowance of time, and the 
winning sloops were the 
Grade and Vixen, the prizes 
being four $250 cups. 

If was about this time 
that Mr. Lester Wallack, the 
actor, began to come into 


fted-S.C^etts- 

86 


“CLYTIE.” 


flag-ship; and this year at its annual regatta 
it started three such schooners as the 
Tidal Wave, Resolute and Peerless, with 
ten sloops, those in the first class being the 
Grade, Addie, Orion and Vixen. 

The regatta of the New York Yacht 
Club, this year, on June 20, was remarkable 


prominence as a patron of yachting, and 
he gave a cup for schooners, which was 
competed for June 24, 1872, the course be- 
ing from off No. 5, at the point of Sandy 
Hook, to a stake boat close in to Long 
Branch, where Mr. Wallack had a cottage. 
There was a good entry, and the Madeleine 


■62 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 



secured the prize, beating the Peerless 7m. 
10s. It was in this year, also, that the 
sloop Meta was built by Mr. P, McGiehan, 
at Pamrapo, N. J., for Mr. G. H. Beling, 
and with Captain Ellsworth and his Bay- 
onne crew on board, she took rank as the 
fastest single-stick vessel in the country. 
Mr. Beling, during the previous year, had 
the sloop Kaiser Wilhelm built by Mr. Mc- 
Giehan, and there was enough of suspicion 
that during some of her races ballast had 
been shifted, to cause her owner to be 
black-balled in the New York club, and on 
this account he adopted as his signal on 
the Meta two black balls, and entered her 
for all the races that were possible. July 
23, 1872, the Meta sailed a match with the 
Grade from buoy No. 5, twenty miles to 
windward and return. The Grade at that 
time was owned by Mr. S. J. Colgate, New 
York Yacht Club, and was 58 feet 5 inches 
long. Last year she was 79 feet 10 inches, 
and this season is still longer. The Meta 
was 61 feet. The race was sailed under 
the rules of the Brooklyn club, and the 
Meta beat the Grade in actual time 31s., 


but on corrected time the Grade won the 
race by im. 45 s. 

I may mention in passing that beside 
the Brooklyn and Atlantic clubs, there 
had now come into prominence the Harlem 
club, of which one of the ruling spirits 
was Mr. Harry Genet, the brilliant politi- 
cian of the Tweed regime. “Prince Hal” 
he was called, and the house on the point 
at Port Morris, now occupied by the 
Knickerbocker club, was built under his 
reign, which I may say was short and 
brilliant. But in this year, 1872, the Sea- 
wanhaka club was a year old. It had its 
annual regattas at Oyster Bay on each re- 
curring Fourth of July, and they were the 
most enjoyable yachting events of the 
year. 

The Jersey City club, too, began to 
loom up prominently. Their regattas were 
social affairs, and used to take place at 
Greenville, N. J., from a tavern called the 
“ Idle Hour.” After the race of the yachts, 
a banquet was served, ladies were present 
in great number, and the affair wound up 
with a dance in the evening. Apropos of 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


63 



“ FORTUNE,” BOSTON. 


Mr. Ashbury, the Havre (France) regatta 
was sailed July 12, 1872, and among the 
entries were the British schooners Guine- 
vere and Livonia and the American 
schooner Sappho. The Guinevere was with- 
drawn, and Mr. Douglass, owner of the 
Sappho, at once withdrew her, declining to 
sail against Mr. Ashbury. He started, 
however, fifteen minutes after the Livonia; 
came up with and ran through her lee, and 
then went on over the course, finishing an 
hour and a half ahead of her. 

In this year, 1872, it was, that Commo- 
dore Bennett presented his Brenton’s Reef 
Challenge Cup, valued at $1,000, for an in- 
ternational trophy. This is the cup that 
was won last season by the British cutter 
Genesta. As there seemed some disincli- 
nation to entering for if, Mr. Bennett of- 
fered an extra prize of $500 in case five 
yachts started, to be presented to, and held 
by, the winner as his own private property. 
The only starters, however, were the Ram- 
bler, then owned by Mr. J. Malcolm 


Forbes, who now owns the sloop Puritan 
and the Madeleine, then owned by Commo- 
dore Jacob Voorhis, Jr., of the Brooklyn 
club. The start was made July 25, 1872, 
and the yachts had dirty weather. The 
Madeleine had to put in to New London, 
and did not reach the outer mark. The 
Rambler made the course in 39h. 55m. 59s. 
She belonged to the Eastern club, which 
from that time on, has constantly in- 
creased in importance. 

During the August cruise of the New 
York club, this year, there was a handicap 
race over the regular Block Island course ; 
which is important, as showing how the 
yachts of that time were rated. I think the 
clubs of both countries will finally come to 
this as the fairest way of sailing yacht 
races. Certain it is, no system of measure- 
ment has ever been satisfactory, and prob- 
ably none ever will be. Here is the way 
in which the committee rated the yachts of 
that day. The schooner Columbia allows 
the Madeleine im.; Resolute im.; Tidal 


.64 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


Wave, 2m.; Viking, 3m.; Madgie, 4m.; 
Magic, 4tn. 30s.; Foam, 5m.; Eva, 8m.; 
Alice, 9111. And at this rating the Colum- 
bia won, showing that the committee had 
estimated her correctly. The Foam was 
second and Madeleine third. I'he Foam 
was ruled out for fouling a stake boat, and 
the Madeleine took second prize. 

The race for the City of Newport Cup, 
this year, was sailed over the course from 
Brenton’s Reef to the Sow and Pigs Light- 
ship and return, and was the first race ever 
sailed over this course. It was a memo- 
rable one, being sailed in a thick fog. The 
schooner Haufitless ran into the Sow and 
Pigs Light vessel and carried away her 
lanterns. On the return, the Madeleine 
overran her reckoning, and narrowly es- 
caped wreck on Beaver Tail. The Tidal 
Wave got close in to the beach, just east 
of Brenton’s Reef, and had to let go both 
anchors, her stern just clearing the break- 
ers, as she swung to the chains. The 
collided with another schooner, and 
was much damaged, and as a result of all 
this, no . schooner finished. The sloop 
Mela, of the Brooklyn club, with Capt. 
“Joe” Ellsworth at the wheel, made the 
race and won the sloop prize. There were 
other interesting races, but I may not stop 
to mention them all. The Madeleine chal- 
lenged the Rambler for the Brenton’s Reef 
Cup,and another start for this was made Sep- 
tember 19, the course being from the Bren- 
ton’s Reef Light-ship to the Sandy Hook 
Light-ship and return. The Rambler again 
won, her time being 4311. 25 m. 32s. 

against 47h. i8m. 41s. for the Madeleine. 
They had heavy weather, and the Made- 
leine was much damaged in rigging. 

It will be remembered that the Bennett 
Challenge Cup for sloops, over the regular 
course, was first won by the Addie in June, 
1871, and captured from her, in October, 
by the Grade. Among the sloops built in 
1872 was the Vision. She was built by Mr. 
J. McGarrick, at the foot of Thirty-fourth 
street, Brooklyn. She was probably the 
shoalest craftever built; a skimming dish of 
the skimming dishes. Her dimensions were: 
over all, 66 feet ; water-line, 52 feet 4 inches; 
beam, 20 feet 9 inches ; depth, 5 feet ii 
inches ; draught, 5 feet 9 inches. But in 
that day the skimming dish was the favor- 
ite model, and the Vision enjoyed a repu- 
tation of “fastest in the fleet.” She was, 
in fact, enormously fast in smooth water, 
her great beam enabling her to carry a 
powerful spread of canvas. In a sea way, 
however, she was good for nothing. She, 


however, challenged the Grade for the 
Bennett Cup, and the race came off Septem- 
ber 20, 1872, in a howling gale from west- 
north-west. Had the judges sent them 
over the regular course, I presume both 
would have had to be towed in from the 
Light-ship; but an easier course was agreed 
upon, and from the Narrows they went 
down around the Spit buoy ; thence back 
to Craven Shoal buoy, returning over the 
same course and finishing at Craven Shoal. 
After rounding the Spit buoy the second 
time, in trying to get the main sheet aft, 
five of the Grade's men were taken over- 
board, and she had to stop and pick them 
up, after which she anchored for the night 
in the Horseshoe, and the Vision won in 
4h. 25m. 55s. Both yachts sailed with 
three reefs tied down. 

On October 10, 1872, there was a race for 
the Bennett Cape May Challenge Cup, the 
one now held by the Genesta, the starters 
being the Dreadnought and Palmer, and 
the Dreadnought won. The times were 
Dreadnought, 25h. 05m. 40s.; Palmer, 

26h. 45m. 5s. I may mention in passing, 
as it is a species of yachting, that it was in 
1872 that the first canoe club was formed, 
and that it sailed its first regatta October 
19, in Flushing Bay, and also, I may state, 
that it was in this year that miniature 
yachting was inaugurated, and for two or 
three seasons flourished very successfully 
at the Prospect Park Lake, in Brooklyn. 
It is to be regretted that it did not 
continue popular, as I think some of the 
improvements in model and rig of the larger 
pleasure craft may be directly traceable to 
the experiments with the four and five 
feet models on the park lake. 

It will be interesting also to state, as 
showing how the sport was being devel- 
oped in this country, that at the beginning 
of the season of 1873, the Boston club had 
enrolled thirteen schooners, twenty-five 
sloops and two steamers. The Eastern 
club had thirty-two schooners and thirteen 
sloops. The South Boston club had four 
schooners and twenty-seven sloops. The 
Dorchester club had six schooners and 
fifty-one sloops. The Lynn club had one 
schooner, twenty-three sloops and eight 
cat-rigged boats. The Beverly club had 
thirty-seven sloops and cat rigs, and the 
Bunker Hill club had five schooners, thir- 
teen sloops and one steamer. In this 
neighborhood, beside the New York, 
Brooklyn, Atlantic, Seawanhaka and Jersey 
City, there were the Williamsburgh, the 
Harlem, the Long Island, the Bayonne, 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


65 


the Columbia, the Pavonia clubs, and four 
or five other minor organizations, so that, 
as will be seen, the sport had broadened out 
immensely. 

Under date of April 18, 1873, the Secre- 
tary of the Royal Western Yacht Club of 
Ireland sent a letter to the New York 
Yacht Club, informing it that Her Maje.sty, 
having graciously given the club a cup to 
be sailed for at the annual regatta on July 
30, the club would be pleased if the mem- 
bers of the New York club or any of them 
would compete for the same. So far as I 
can recollect, however, no American yacht 
accepted this courteous invitation. 

No one who was fortunate enough to 
witness it, will ever forget the glorious fin- 
ish of the annual regatta of the New York 
Yacht Club in 1873, when the Madeleine 
went over the line a winner just as a hard 
squall from the north-west struck the fleet, 
the Madgie being very nearly capsized. 
The Madeleine' s time was the best ever 
made over this course, the start and finish 
being in the Narrows. Her actual time 
was qh. im. 20s., and her corrected time 
was 3h. 57m. 43s. 

The sloops Meta and Yisian sailed a 
match outside of Sandy Hook twenty 
miles to leeward from buoy No. 5 and re- 
turn, which was the first Sunday race ever 
sailed by a yacht of the New York Yacht 
Club. The race was for $500 a side, and 
the Vision won by 7m. 32s. The Meta 
lost her topmast, but as the other boat had 
to house hers on the return, this did not 
injure her chance for the race in any way. 

The cruise of the Brooklyn club, this 
year, was the most memorable in its history, 
and from this time it steadily declined in 
importance. The cruise of the New York 
Yacht Club, also this year, will long be re- 
membered, the fleet coming out of Glen 
Cove harbor in the early morning, with a 
light easterly wind, which gradually in- 
creased to a reefing breeze from north-east, 
and scattered the fleet, forcing the yachts 
to seek harbors wherever possible. The 
only ones which got through to New Lon- 
don, where they were bound, were the 
schooners Idler and Rambler, and the iron 
sloop Vindex. It was four days before the 
fleet was united, a hard gale from north- 
east prevailing most of the time. 

One of the most memorable races ever 
sailed in this neighborhood was that be- 
tween the open sloops William T. Lee and 
Brooklyn, from the head of Gowanus Bay to 
and around buoy No. 8 J 4 and return, for a 
wager of $1,000. The yachts were about 


28 feet in length, and I presume the sail 
spread from the luff of the jib to the leech 
of the mainsail was full 65 feet. The wind 
was quite fresh from south-west, yet both 
boats managed to carry whole sail for the 
entire race, and the wonder of it was that 
neither capsized. Both yachts, however, 
were terribly strained, and leaked like bas- 
kets at the conclusion of the contest. Sucji 
races as that we are not likely to see again. 
The occupation of the professional sailing 
master is gone probably forevey. Owners 
of boats like the Lee and Brooklyn have 
banded together in clubs which have, as a 
rule, adopted the fixed ballast regulation, 
and such rigs as were carried on the old 
time open racing sloop, are out of the 
question. It was in October of this year, 
that Commodore Bennett offered his cele- 
brated prizes for yachts, pilot boats, work- 
ing schooners and fishing smacks, to be 
sailed for from Owls’ Head to and around 
the Five Fathom Light-ship off Cape May. 
$1,000 was offered to the winning yacht 
vessels of any club being eligible to entry ; 
$1,000 was offered to the winning pilot 
boat ; $250 to the winning working 

schooner, and $250 to the winning smack. 
The starters were schooner ydidhx.?, Enchant- 
ress, Alarm, Clio, Eva and Dreadnought. 
The pilot boats were : the Widgeon, Hope, 
Ja 7 nes W. Elwell, Thomas S. Negus, Ed- 
mund Blicnt, Mary E. Fish, and Charles H. 
Marshall. Working schooners, W. H. 
Van Name and Reindeer, and schooner 
smack Wallace Blackford. 

The vessels had pretty heavy weather on 
their return from Cape May. The yacht 
Enchantress \va.s, the first to return, followed 
two hours later by the pilot boat Thos. S. 
Negus. The Van Name got the working 
schooner prize, and the smack, Wallace 
Blackford, the $250 for a sail over alone. 

Commodore Bennett had, the previous 
year, presented to the club, five valuable 
cups, and from first to last, during his con- 
nection with the New York club, he has 
contributed to it probably in prizes as much 
as all its other special contributors put 
together. I don’t mean the total of the 
regular club prizes paid for out of its rev- 
enues, but the special contributions, such 
as the Douglass or Lorillard Cups, etc. 

Rather an amusing episode in connec- 
tion with Mr. Bennett’s Cape May Cup 
occurred during the season of 1873. As I 
have stated, it was first raced for by the 
Palmer and Dreadnought, and won by the 
latter. Mr. J. F. Lowbat, the owner of the 
_Enchantress, challenged for it, the 


66 


THE Hr STORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 



date of the race being fixed for 
October 14, but the Dreadnought 
was so much damaged on October 
1 1, in returning from the Cape May- 
race alluded to above, that her 
owner, Mr. A. B. Stockwell, asked 
for an extension of time to enable 
him to repair damages. Under 
ordinary circumstances, this would 
have been granted, but on October 
15, the season, so far as this Cape 
May Cup was concerned, ended, 
and Mr. Lowbat, thinking that the 
story of damage to the Dreadnought 
was but a ruse to get the race off 
for the season, refused to grant the 
delay, and appeared on the day ap- 
pointed and sailed over the course, 
taking the Cup, and also a $1000 
check from Mr. Stockwell, the 
amount of the little private wager 
between the two gentlemen. There 
was an amusing newspaper con- 
troversy, and the matter ended by 
Mr. Lowbat sending the check to 
a charitable institution, and return- 
ing the cup to the club later on. 

I see nothing of special note 
during the year 1874, until October 
13, when the great match race 
between the Comet and Magic took 
place, over the New York Yacht 
Club course. The race was ostensi- 
bly for the possession of the Bennett 
Challenge Cup, held by the Comet 
and challenged by the Magic ; but 
there were many outside bets, and 
probably . as much as $100,000 
changed hands on the result of this 
race. The Magic, at that time, 
was owned by the late Mr. Wm. 

T. Garner, who afterwards lost his life 
in the heroic endeavor to save that of 
his wife, when the ill-fated Mohawk cap- 
sized off Staten Island, and it was reported 
that he won sufficient on this Magic- 
Comet race to pay for the hull and 
spars of the Mohawk, and that but for 
the victory of the Magic on this occasion, 
the Mohawk would not have been con- 
tracted for. 

The owner of the Comet, Mr. Wm. H. 
Langley, the late Jacob Voorhis, Jr., Com- 
modore of the Brooklyn club, and many of 
the members of that club who had confi- 
dence in the Comet, with Capt. Joe. Ells- 
worth at the wheel, lost very heavily on this 
occasion. There is slight doubt but that 
the Comet was the smarter of the two 
schooners, but Mr. Langley underrated his 


adversary, and neglected to put his yacht 
in as perfect form as she might have been. 
On the other hand, Mr. Garner gave his 
captain carte blanche as to expense, and the 
Magic started with a splendid lug-foresail, 
and a crew of twenty-five men. I was fort- 
unate in having been a guest of Mr. Gar- 
ner during this race, and am certain that 
it was this perfect preparation, rather than 
any superior speed, which gained the vic- 
tory for the Magic. The Comet led to the 
light-ship, but upon a wind, her sails did 
not sit as well as those of the Magic, and 
she had to give place to her. It was, how- 
ever, a very close race throughout, and up 
to the time that the Magic passed through 
the Narrows, on the return, it was “any 
body’s race.” She managed, however, to 
just squeeze by Fort Lafayette on the last 


THE HISTORY OF AxMERICAN YACHTING. 


67 


of an ebb tide, and reached the slack water 
on the Long Island shore, while the Comet 
was reaching in the strong ebb of the Nar- 
rows. I will give the dimensions of the 
two yachts : 


NAME. 

OWNER. 

W. L. LENGTH. 
FT, 

BEAM. 

FT. 

CUBICAL 

CONTENTS. 

FT. 

Magic. . 

Wm. T. Garner... 

78.85 

20.9 

5,077-79 

Comet. . 

Wm. H. Langley . 

73-03 

21.95 

4,662.44 


The Magic allowed 2111. i/,s. 



was a miserably rainy afternoon, the yacht 
stuck in launching, and the elegant assem- 
blage of ladies and gentlemen whom Mr. 
Garner had bidden to the launch, and for 
whose accommodation he had chartered a 
large steamboat, had a moist and disagree- 
able time. To give an idea of the enormous 
sail-spread of this famous schooner, I may 
state that from the top of her club top-sa!il 
sprit to the water was 163 feet, and from 
the end of her main boom to the end of 
her flying jib boom was 235' feet ; and 
withal, she was the stiffest yacht I was ever 
on board of. She was 12 1 feet on water- 
line, 30 feet, 4 inches in beam, and 9 feet, 
4 inches depth of hold. I have sailed in 
her, carrying three whole lower sails, with 
the water just bubbling along the lee-plank- 
sheer, when all other yachts in company 
were double-reefed and staggering 
along with lee-rails under. The 
Mohmvk\\2i^ greater initial stability 
than any yacht ever built in this 
country, and only the grossest 
stupidity caused her to capsize. 
In the minds of those ignorant 
of the principles of nautical 
construction, her mishap 
created a prejudice against 
center-board vessels, en- 
tirely unreasonable, and 
it has not entirely been 
dissipated to this day. 
People forget that 
the center - board 
schooner Vesta., 
the center-board 


June 9, 1875, the unfortunate schooner 
yacht Mohawk was launched from the yard 
of her builder, Mr. Joseph Vandeusen, foot 
of North Seventh street, Brooklyn, E. D. It 


sloop Silvia and others have gone safely 
across the Atlantic and returned — that 
two-thirds of all the American coasting fleet 
are center-boards, and make their passages 


68 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


safely alonj^ the coast at all seasons of the 
year ; and blinded by an ignorant prejudice, 
cry out that the center-board vessel is a 
death-trap, and that the slow and clumsily- 
working keel boat must be adopted, because 
she is safe. 

It is interesting to note that June 14, 
1875, was the date of the first Corinthian 
race of the Seawanhaka club in this city, 
and its course was around the light-ship, 
the start and finish being off Stapleton, 
S. I. The only starters were the sloops 
Addie, Vision and Coming. The Addie won 
the race. 

This club had also, on June 24, an ocean 
match, in which yachts from the New York, 
Atlantic, Brooklyn and Eastern clubs were 
invited to enter, and it was notable as being 
the first match of this kind ever sailed. On 
July I, in this year, there was a race around 
I.ong Island between the steam yachts Ideal, 
owned by Mr. Havermeyer, and the Look- 
out, owned by Mr. Jacob Lorillard. It was 
not the first race of steam yachts, for at the 
annual regatta of the New York Yacht 
club this year, a prize had been offered for 
steamers, and there started the two above 
mentioned, and the Lurline, the latter, win- 
ning. On this race around Long Island, 
however, the Ideal won with all ease, her 
time being iSh. 22m. 45s. 

The Seawanhaka club had not finally de- 
serted its old quarters at Oyster Bay, and 
as had been its custom heretofore, it had 
its annual regatta there on the 4th of 
July. 

The yachts of the New York club were 
this summer again tempted to visit Cape 
May and sail a race there. The only thing 
remarkable about it was, that it was the first 
race of the schooner Mohawk, and she was 
beaten by the Afadeleine, Idler, Rambler wdA 
Resolute. 

The three large clubs, as usual, had their 
annual cruises over the old course, through 
Long Island Sound and as far east as Vine- 
yard Haven, but there was nothing of much 
note occurred. After the return, however, 
on September 15, the Madeleine and Mo- 
hawk sailed a match over the New York 
club course, and the Madeleine won by 
over 9m., and on September 21, Mr. Garner, 
the owner of the Mohawk published a chal- 
lenge, offering to sail any yacht, keel or 
center-board, twenty miles to windward and 
return, outside of Sandy Hook, which at 
once met with response from Mr. Bennett, 
who offered to sail the Dauntless against 
the Mohawk twenty miles outside of the 
light-ship and return for $1,000 a side, or 


from Brenton’s Reef to the light-ship, for 
$5,000 or $10,000. 

This correspondence brought out other 
challenges. At this time, Mr. Rufus Hatch 
had the schooner Resolute under a charter 
from her owner, and he published a chal- 
lenge, offering to sail the Resolute against 
any schooner, yacht, keel or center-board, 
any day in October when there is an eight- 
knot breeze either over the regular club 
course, or from Sandy Hook Light-ship to 
Cape May Light-ship and return. Mr. Ben- 
nett accepted a race for the Dauntless over 
the long course. Mr. J. D. Smith named the 
Estelle for a race over the club course, and 
Mr. W. H. Langley named the Comet for a 
race over the same course, while Mr. J. M. 
Mills named the Vesta, and Mr. C. J. Os- 
borne named the Dreadnought iox races over 
the Cape May course. The stakes sailed for 
were with the Comet, a $500 cup ; with the 
Estelle, Vesta and Dreadnought, dinners of 
twenty covers, and with the Dauntless, a 
race for the honor of the contest. 

And all these challenges were the result 
of an editorial published in the New York 
Times of September 21, 1875, the writer of 
which knew probably less about yachts or 
yachting than he did about Sanscrit. In 
proof of this, I am tempted to quote from 
it. He says that “ The center-board is an 
admirable device when applied to small 
sail boats intended for shallow waters, no 
one denies. When, however, a foreign-built 
yacht comes here and sails half a dozen 
races with crack center-board yachts, and 
we find as a result, that while the foreigner 
has not started a rope or sprung a spar, her 
competitors are so strained as to be no 
longer seaworthy without undergoing ex- 
tensive repairs ; it is pretty clear that 
a fleet of center-board yachts will not 
gain much reputation outside of the quiet 
waters of New York Bay or the Sound. 
Of course, every addition of a hew cen- 
ter-board yacht to a fleet increases the 
influence of the advocates of that style of 
vessel, and is, hence, to be regretted by 
yachtsmen who prefer salt water to fresh. 
It is possible, however, that the leeway 
made by the Mohawk in her recent race 
with the Madeleine, in spite of her enormous 
center-board, will have ultimately its effect 
in inducing yachtsmen to doubt whether a 
flat-bottom and a center-board are precisely 
the sort of thing to be desired in a schooner 
of 200 tons and upwards.” 

Of course, every one who had any knowl- 
edge on the subject, knew that the damage 
to which this gentleman alluded, as having 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


69 



Nevertheless, although it was evident 
that the article in question was written by 
a land-lubber, hopelessly ignorant of the 
subject he was writing about, yet as it ap- 
peared editorially in a first-class daily news- 
paper, the owners of center-board yachts 
like the and Resolute felt bound to 

notice it. With regard to their sea-worthi- 
ness, I may mention that since that time, 
the Resolute has made extended ocean voy- 
ages, and the Mohawk was perfectly com- 
petent to do so. In fact, during her 
present service as coast-survey vessel, she 
has repeatedly been off the coast in heavy 
weather, and as I have been informed by 
an officer on board of her, 
has behaved admirably. 

I devote this much of space 
to this, because nothing can 
be more stupid than the 
prejudice — born of igno- 
rance — which has been enter- 
tained against center-board 
vessels. That they are faster 
than keel boats, is beyond 
a question ; that they are 


MISCHIEF".” 


occurred to the competitors of the schooner 
Livonia, was due to the slight manner in 
which they were rigged, strength being 
sacrificed to neatness ; and that the Livo- 
nia's exemption from damage was due to 
her strong and clumsy rig, and that the 
question of keel and center-board had 
nothing on earth to do with the matter. 
Moreover, as this gentleman should have 
known, two of the Livo?iia's opponents, 
Sappho and the Dauntless, were keel yachts. 
The idea of the Mohawk or any other cen- 
ter-board, “making leeway ” is too ridic- 
ulous for mention, and the writer, probably, 
was not aware that the Madeleine with 
which he compares the Mohawk to the dis- 
advantage of the latter, was also a center- 
board and quite as much of a skimming- 
dish model as the Mohaivk was. 


handier under canvas and better suited to 
our shallow harbors, cannot be doubted ; 
and as to the question of safety, the per- 
centage of accident in center-board craft is 
so small, that it need not be taken into ac- 
count at all. 

Before any of these challenge races were 
sailed, the New York Yacht Club had a fall 
regatta for cups offered by the then Com- 
modore J. Nicholson Kane, and in addition, 
the sloop Madcap, a second-class yacht, 
challenged the Vision for the Bennett Cup. 
The difference in the sizes of the yachts 
was very marked, the Vision measuring 
2,545 cubic feet, and the Madcap, 1,491 
cubic feet, and receiving an allowance from 
the Vision of 12 m. 44s. 

Of the race I may say it was one of the 
most remarkable in the history of the club. 



THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


Of the sixteen yachts which started, only 
■ nine were able to get outside of the Hook. 
I'he others were caught by the young flood, 
and having no wind, could not stem it. 
Outside there was a cracking breeze and 
quite a heavy sea. The schooner Peerless 
was totally dismasted, and lost bowsprit, 
and the only ones which were able to get out 
to the light-ship were the schooners Comet, 
Estelle, and Atalanta, and the sloop Sadie. 

'Fhe Atalanta was the only first-class 
~ schooner which made the course; all the rest 
were detained inside the Hook. Not a first- 
class sloop went the course, so the other prize 
winners were the schooner Comet and sloop 
Sadie. I'he latter was a deep Herreshoff 
production, and is now the schooner Lotus. 

The first of what may be called the 
Hatch series of races came off October 6, 
187:;, and was a match over the New York 
Yacht Club course, between the schooners 
Resolute and Estelle, both center-boards. 
The difference in size between them was 
very marked, the entries being as follows : 


NAME. 

OWNER. j 

CUBIC FEET. 

allowance. 

Resolute 

Rufus Hatch . . . 

10,860 

m. s. 

Estelle 

James D. Smith. 

5-736 

12 10 


full racing trim, and was sailed by Capt. 

“ Joe ” Ellsworth ; the Resolute being 
handled by her regular captain. To buoy 
No. 10 both yachts carried working top- 
sails, the wind in the bay being well to the 
eastward ; and to this mark the Resolute 
had the best of the match, passing the 
buoy nearly four minutes ahead, the start 
being nearly an even one. 1 op-sails and 
flying-jibs had to come in, off the point of 
the Hook, and they began the beat to the 
light-ship under whole lower sails, the wind 
very strong from east-south-east, and the 
sea heavy. After getting outside, both 
went off for a long board on the port tack, 
the Resolute increasing her lead very mate- 
rially. On the starboard reaches, the 
olute Vdck&d for the light-ship nearly twenty- 
three minutes before the Estelle did, being 


hd'i.S. Cowwr 
©6 


The race was a memorable one, 
the wind being fresh from east- 
south-east. 'Yhe Resolute 
in cruising trim, with boats 
at davits, anchors on bow, 
etc. The Estelle was in 


** MON TAUK.’ 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


71 


at this point much more than her time 
ahead of the smaller yacht ; and could she 
have weathered the mark on the port tack, 
the race had been hers beyond a perad- 
venture ; but the Captain deemed the risk 
too great, and had to make a short board 
on the starboard tack again. This neces- 
sitated going about twice, and this lost her 
the race, for, in the heavy sea, she was 
sluggish in stays, and lost much time ; 
each time stopping when head to the wind, 
and making a stern-board. The Estelle, 
having the leading boat for a guide, stood 
far enough on her first reach on the star- 
board tack to weather the mark on the op- 
posite one. The times of turning the 
light-ship were: Resolute, i2h. 34m. 30s. ; 
Estelle, i2h. 39m. 

Both yachts gybed around, with peaks 
dropped, and setting working top-sails, be- 
gan the run in, wing and wing, with fore- 
boom on the starboard side, and the Reso- 
lute also set her jib top-sail. As she ran 
in, a sea caught her under the counter, and 
she swung to, the foresail catching aback, 
and parting the guy ; and as it went over 
it took the fore topmast out of her. She 
was, however, 6m. ahead at buoy No. 10, 
and finished lom. 25s. ahead, not enough, 
however’ to save her time, Estelle winning 
by 2m. 8s. Had the Resolute stood three 
minutes longer on her first starboard reach, 
before tacking for the light-ship, or if her 
captain had had a trifle more nerve, and 
squeezed her by that mark without tack- 
ing, she would have won the match with 
all ease. 

The second of the Hatch series was 
sailed with the schooner Comet, October 8, 
and the disproportion of size between these 
yachts was greater than in the previous 
race, the entry standing : 


NAME. 

1 OWNER. 

CUBIC FEET. 

ALLOWANCES. 

Resolute . . 

.! Rufus Hatch. . . 

10,860 

n. S. 

Comet 

.jw. H. Langley. 

4,662 

17 38 


The Comet was sailed by Capt. ‘^Joe” 
Ellsworth, and the Resolute by her own 
captain. The wind was extremely light at 
the start, and Mr. Hatch desired a post- 
ponement ; but Mr. Langley, knowing that 
the .chances of his boat were better in light 
winds, refused to put off the start until an- 
other day ; and not only that, but secured 
from Mr. Hatch a waiver of the eight hours’ 
time limitj thus getting decidedly the best 
of “ Uncle Rufus,” as Mr. Hatch was pop- 
ularly called. The race was a mere drift 


from start to finish. The Comet got out to 
the light-ship nearly three minutes ahead, 
and passed No. 10 buoy, on the return, 
over eleven minutes ahead. .Resolute 

overhauled and passed her before the 
finish line was reached, and went in ahead 
by thirty seconds ; but of course the Comet 
won on allowance. Both yachts, however, 
were over the eight hours, so that if Mr. 
Hatch had not waived this condition, the 
race must have been resailed. ' , 

The third of the Hatch series of races 
was sailed October 12, and was a match of 
the Resolute against the Dreadnought and 
Vesta from the Sandy Hook Light-ship to 
Cape May Light-ship and return. There 
was no great difference in the size of the 
yachts, the Vesta and Resolute being center- 
boards, and the Dreadnought a keel boat. 
They had a splendid run to the Cape May 
mark, the Resolute turning over ten min- 
utes ahead of the Dreadnought, and over 
twelve minutes ahead of the Vesta. On the 
return, the wind was unsteady and light, 
but the Resolute preserved her lead clear up 
to Barnegat, being then full eight miles 
ahead of the Dreadnought, the Vesta out of 
sight astern. From here to the finish, 
however, the Resolute had scarce any wind, 
and the Dreadnought, being farther off 
shore, had a trifle of air, and got to the line 
twenty-three seconds ahead, a winner, on 
actual time, of eight seconds. 

The match was to be sailed according to 
club rules, and the allowance of the Reso- 
lute for 212 miles would have been 8m. 45s., 
which of course would have made her a 
winner ; but Mr. C. J. Osborn, who owned 
the Dreadnought, insisted that the rule of 
the club as to allowance applied only to the 
New York club course, and that for the 
Bennett Challenge Cup to Cape May there 
was no allowance. Mr. J. I). Smith, the 
referee, so decided, and “Uncle RuLis ” 
was once more deprived of a prize that, 
but for extreme bad luck, his yacht would 
have won. 

The concluding race of the Hatch series, 
and the final contest for the year, was 
sailed October 28, and it was quite time to 
end the season, the days having grown very • 
short, and the weather cold. The match 
was between the schooners Resolute and 
Dauntless, from off the club-house, at Sta- 
pleton, Staten Island, to and around the 
Cape May Light-ship, returning and finish- 
ing at the Sandy Hook light-ship. There 
is little to tell of the race. The Dauntless 
took the lead at the start, and increased 
it constantly to the finish, beating her 


72 






THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


opponent ih. 52m. i8s., and making the 
race in i8h. 28m. 3s., beating the record ; 
the best time before that having been 25 h. 
6m., and that with start and finish at the 
light-ship. The Dauntless' time has not 
since been beaten. 

There had been an ocean race previous 
to this, viz., on October 26, between the 
schooners Mohawk and Dauntless, which 
grew out of the challenge of Mr. Garner, 
the owner of the Mohawk, he offering to sail 
any yacht, keel or center-board, twenty 
miles to windward from the Sandy Hook 
light-ship. As has been stated, the chal- 
lenge was at once accepted by Mr. Bennett, 
whose yacht, the Dauntless, had, for a 
couple of years, been laid up at South 
Brooklyn. She was hastily prepared, and 
put in commission for this contest, and ap- 
peared at the starting line in very bad 
form. Her top sides had opened during 
the time she had been exposed to the sun 
while lying at the dock, and during most 
of the weather work to the outer mark 
she had considerable water in her lee 
bilge. 

The Mohawk, under these circumstances, 
beat her easily, to windward ; but, owing 
to some errors in sailing the Mohawk, she 
turned the outer mark only three minutes 
and forty seconds ahead. The error was 
in making three or four short tacks, per- 
mitting the Dauntless to go off by herself 
on a long board to the southward. Every 
time that the Moha^vk tacked in a sea 
which was quite heavy, she of course lost 
something, and she took the risk of a shift 
of wind to the southward, which, if it had 
occurred, would have enabled the Dauntless 
to round the mark ahead. 

After passing the mark, and leaving it on 
the starboard hand, instead of keeping off 
at once for the finish line, the Mohawk 
held her luff until she had passed to wind- 
ward of the Dauntless, which was approach- 
ing on the starboard tack, and then kept 
off across her stern. This was for a bit of 
bravado, the captain of the Mohawk not 
doubting for an instant that, at running. 



his boat would be by all odds the best. In 
this he was mistaken, the broad, flat-bot- 
tomed Mohawk offering more of what is 
called “skin resistance” than did her nar- 
row and deep opponent with her smooth 
copper bottom. 

Both yachts, however, went in at a tre- 
mendous pace, the steam tug Cyclops, at 
that time the fastest in the harbor, being 
unable to keep up with them. She followed 
after the Mohawk, which, for some unac- 
countable reason, steered in north-west-by- 
west-half-west, although the course given 
for the outer mark had been east-south- 
east. The Dauntless, deceived somewhat 
by the courses steered by the Alohawk and 
the tug, went in north-west-by-west, three- 
quarters-west ; but she too fell in far to the 
northward of the light-ship. 

The Mohawk went right by the ship, 
without seeing her lights, and they were 
first seen by those on the tug, which at 
once hauled up for them, indicating to the 
Dauntless, by her whistle, the error of her 
course. She had been running wing-and- 
wing, with fore-boom to port, and had got 
well by the mark. Hauling to suddenly, 
her foresail gybed over, and the gaff, strik- 
ing the triantic stay, was broken. All 
flying-kites were let go by the run, and the 
yacht was hauled sharp by the wind, and 
fetched in just to leeward of the mark, 
having to make a short board on the star- 
board tack, to weather it. 

Of course the prize, a $1,000 cup, was 
hers ; but had the Mohawk been sailed 
with better judgment in this race, she 
w'ould have beaten the Dauntless by at least 
ten minutes. The next was the Centennial 
year, an important year for yachting, as 
for all other sports, and I may well reserve 
its events for the next article. As showing 
the wonderful development of the sport of 
yachting, I may say, in closing this chapter, 
that in the New York, the Brooklyn, the 
Atlantic, and Seawanhaka Yacht Clubs 
alone, there were sailed, during this year 
1875, twenty-two races. 



THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


BY CAPTAIN R. F. COFFIN, 

Author of “Old Sailor Yarns,” “The America’s Cup,” etc., etc. 

V. 


FROM 1876 TO 1878. 

1876, the Centennial of the United States, 
was a year of jubilee, and all out-of-door 
sports were immensely stimulated. Of 
course, yachting shared in the general 
prosperity, but in addition to the natural 
stimulus of the time of holiday, yachting 
had the extra excitement of an interna- 
tional contest, which, as we have recently, 
in 1885 and 1886, been made aware, is suf- 
ficient of itself to cause quite a yachting 
furore. 

At the very beginning of the year — in 
January — and before anything had been 
done to release the pleasure fleet from its 
winter’s seclusion, rumors began to be cur- 
rent that during this year there would 
come another challenger for the America s 
Cup. There did not seem to be any defi- 
nite basis for the rumors, but they were 
floating around. 

At a meeting of the New York Yacht 
Club, February 3, in this year, among the 
new members elected were Count Edward 
Batthyany, rear commodore of the Royal 
Albert Club, and Prince Maffeo Sciarra, of 
the Royal Italian Yacht Club, the owner 
of the schooner Sappho ; and this gave 
rise to a rumor that the prince was intend- 
ing to challenge with that vessel, and as 
was well known at that time, there was 
nothing in America that could beat her. 

Rumors came also of a schooner building 
at Coburg, Ont., by a Captain Cuthbert, 
whose reputation as a builder of fast 
yachts was in Canada very prominent. 
He had, so it was reported, built a vessel 
named Annie Cuthbert, which had van- 
quished the Cora, one of Mr. McGiehan’s 
productions, and it was believed in Canada 
that he had only to build his schooner, 
send his challenge, and come here and take 
the cup. 

It was also current gossip that a British 
gentleman, undeterred by the experience 
of Mr. Ashbury, would bring a schooner 
here from England for the cup. As to a cut- 
ter coming for it,such a thing was not thought 
of in those days, although the cutter was 


then,asnow,the representative British yacjht. 
All these rumors, however, had but slight 
basis. Meantime, the Centennial Commis- 
sioners at Philadelphia, desifing to have 
yacht racing on their programme, and hav- 
ing no course fit for it very near to the 
Quaker City, decided to have the races 
here, and they placed the matter in the 
hands of the following gentlemen ; George 
S. Kingsland, commodore of the New 
York Yacht Club, chairman ; John S. Dick- 
erson, commodore ‘of the Brooklyn Yacht 
Club, secretary ; John M. Forbes, commo- 
dore of the Eastern Yacht Club ; W. L. 
Swan, commodore of the Seawanhaka 
Yacht Club ; W. T. Garner, vice-commo- 
dore of the New York Yacht Club, and S. 
Nicholson Kane, rear-commodore of the 
New York Yacht Club. It will be noted 
that all of these gentlemen, except Messrs. 
Forbes and Swan, were prominent mem - 
bers of the New York Yacht Club. Mr. 
Dickerson, although commodore of the 
Brooklyn, owed allegiance principally to 
the New York club, and if I remember 
rightly, was a member of its House Com- 
mittee. Things in the yachting world 
have changed since then, and ten years 
after that no national committee would be 
considered truly representative that did 
not include a member from the Atlantic 
and American clubs. 

The New York, however, was still, as in 
1876, the club of this country. A writer in 
one of the dailies, of March 31, of this 
year, alluding to the Eastern yachts, says : 
“ There are clubs in and around Boston, 
with numerous yachts ; but their fastest 
ones, with the exception of the America, 
are second-class vessels which have been 
purchased from the New York clubs.” 

This was correct in 1876, but in 1886 
the Eastern Club of Boston has the For- 
tuna, probably the fastest keel schooner in 
the world ; the Mayflower and Puritan, 
center-board sloops, that are superior to 
anything in the New York Yacht Club, and 
a fleet of smaller yachts that are unrivaled 
in their respective classes. While the con- 
servative and eminently respectable New 

73 


74 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


York Yacht Club has been standing still, 
and living on its past, its sister organiza- 
tions, the Atlantic, the Eastern, the Amer- 
ican, the Seawanhaka Corinthian and the 
Larchmont, have been going ahead with 
spinnakers pulling. Some of them are 
fully abreast of it now in the number and 
character of their vessels, and unless the 
old club obtains some new blood from 


the Canadian schooner-yacht Countess of 
Dufferin, for the America's Cup, was re- 
ceived and considered at a meeting^ of the 
club, held April 20, and as has always been 
the practice when this cup has been chal- 
lenged, the club unanimously decided to 
waive the six months’ notice, and to sail 
on any day most convenient to the chal- 
lenger. Also, if he desired to sail in July, 



ATHLON. 


somewhere, these other clubs will outrank 
it in popular estimation. The Eastern 
club, in 1885, and the Atlantic and Sea- 
wanhaka clubs, in 1886, by their spirited 
action in defense of the America's Cup, 
gained immensely in popular favor, and 
notified the New York Yacht Club that it 
was no longer considered able to defend 
this trophy, the emblem of the yachting 
supremacy of the world. 

The building of open yachts, sloop and 
cat-rigged, was immensely stimulated by 
the action of the Centennial Commission- 
ers, it being understood that one of the 
races would be for this class of yachts in 
New York Bay. In due time, the chal- 
lenge of Major Charles Gifford, owner of 

* Sloop Athlon.^ owned by J. 


it was decided to give him two races — 
one over the New York club course, and 
one outside, and in case a third was neces- 
sary, the course to be determined by lot. 
If, however. Major Gifford preferred sail- 
ing in August, he was invited to join in the 
club’s annual cruise, and to sail one race 
over the Block Island course, one race 
twenty miles to windward, the third, if a 
third race was necessary, to be determined 
by lot. 

Meantime, the Centennial Yachting Com- 
mittee decided to have three regattas, on 
June 22, 23 and 26, the first day over the 
New York club course, for yachts of fifteen 
tons and over ; the second, in New York 
Bay, for all yachts under fifteen tons, and 

C. RarrjQ, M.D.. New York. 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICA IV YACHTING. 


75 


the third, a race from this port to and around 
the Cape May Light-ship and return. The 
prizes offered were the medal and diploma 
of the International Exhibition of 1876. 

Beside these events thus early in the 
season provided for, there were, of course, 
the annual regattas of the clubs, the Bren- 
ton’s Reef Challenge Cup race, fixed for 
July 22, and the Cape May Challenge Cup 
race, fixed for October. In preparation 
for these events, the schooners Rambler, 
Dreadnought and Idler were all lengthened 
this year, and many minor changes made in 
other yachts, the sail-makers being kept at 
w'ork day and night. 

I may mention just here that it was in 
this year that the first yacht at all approach- 
ing in model to what has, by common con- 
sent, come to be known as the cutter, was 
built, and that the designer of her, Mr. 
John Hyslop, who has contributed some 
interesting articles on yachting to Outing, 
was considerably ridiculed, and was by 
some considered a trifle insane upon this 
subject of yacht designing. The 
yacht was called the Petrel, and she 
was 32 feet over all, 8 feet beam, 6 
feet deep and 4 feet 6 inches draught. 

She was to have four tons of ballast, 
all of iron, inside. 


It was in this year 1876, that the Seawan- 
haka club first came to New York from 
Oyster Bay, where it had been first organized, 





‘ MADGE. 

* Cutter Madge^ owned by E. W, Sheldon, New York. 


76 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


and it fixed on June lo for a strictly 
Corinthian race, the course being the same 
as its present one, starting from off h^ort 
Wadsworth and going around the Spit 
buoys to the light-ship. Always progres- 
sive, this club also arranged for a schooner 
race outside of the Hook, inviting entries 
from the New York, the Eastern, Brooklyn, 
Boston and Atlantic yacht clubs; yachts to 
be steered by owner or mem- 
ber of the club to which she 
belonged, but she could be 
manned by her regular crew. 

Meanwhile, a correspond- 
ence had been going on be- 
tween Major Gifford and 
the Committee of the 
New York Yacht Club 
in relation to the pro- 
posed race for the 
cup, and finally, 
at a meeting 
held May 25, 
all of the 



ot* 


Canadian gentleman’s propositions were 
agreed to, and the races were fixed for the 
loth, 1 2th and 14th of July, the club to 
name its yacht by July i. 

The Atlantic Yacht Club, now so strong 
and important, was in this year just begin- 
ning to come into notice. It started in its 
annual match this season four schooners, 
the largest, the Ariel., 72 feet mean length. 


and its largest sloop, the Undine, 52 feet, 
9 inches mean length. It had two classes 
of sloops, four in each class. 

We were hearing about this time much 
of the new Canadian schooner. Her trial 
trip had been a glorious success, etc. I 
can remember no trial trip of a yacht which 
has not been gloriously successful. They 
all sail well alone, and are tremendously 
fast with champagne accompaniment. 

The New York Yacht Club, at its annual 
regatta, June 8, started a fine lot ; three 
classes of schooners with four in the first, 
two and five in the third ; and two classes 
of sloops, among them the Arrow, after- 
wards so celebrated. This being her first 
appearance in a regular regatta, although 
she had sailed with the fleet in the cruise 
of the club the previous year. Those who 
insist that we have made no advance in 
yacht designing, may be undeceived by 
the fact that the Arrow, at this regatta con- 
sidered a marvel, would probably be beaten 
to-day by any modern sloop of her length. 

There was a strong breeze at this regatta, 
the Grade and Addie Voorhis were obliged 
to withdraw, the Arrow and Vindex alone 
finishing in the first class of .sloops, the 
Arrow beating the Vindex nearly lom., 
winning class prize and also Bennett Chal- 
lenge Cup prize. The schooner made 
the best time on record over this course, 
viz., 3h. 54m. 48 I-2S. actual time, the 
start having been from off Staple- 
ton, and the finish off buoy No. 15. 
The actual time of the schooner 
Comet in this race was 4h. 5m. 
27 I-2S., but she took the 
Bennett Challenge Cup, her 
corrected time being 3h. 
44m. 47 I-2S., showing 
that the cubical con- 
tents rule of the club 
for measurement for 
allowance of time was 
aperfectly fairone, ena- 
bling the smallest yacht 
in the schooner class to 
get in on even terms 
with one of the largest. 
June 10, the Brooklyn Yacht Club and 
the Seawanhaka each had their regattas, 
the latter allowing entries only of sloops, 
and sailing with Corinthian crews. The 
Brooklyn event was notable for the finish 
having been in front of the new club-house 
in Gravesend Bay. I don’t think it ever 
finished there after this year. It mustered 
however, three second class schooners — - 


Sloop Shadmv, owned by John Bryant, Boston. 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


77 


the EsR//e, Corned and Gypsey, four real good 
sloops in the first class, the Grade, Arrow, 
Undine and Kate (now the Whileaxvay), 
with fair entries in the other two classes of 
sloops ; in the lower class, the Victoria, 
IV. T. Lee and Susie S., open sloops of un- 
rivaled speed. The Arrow beat the Grade 
nearly lom. 

The entries^ for the first of the series of 
the Centennial races — that over the course 
of the New York- Yacht Club, included 
eight schooners from New York, and one — 
the Peerless — from the Atlantic club. As 
Mr. J. R. Maxwell, owner of the Peerless, 
belonged also to the New York, it might 
be said that all of the schooners were from 
the old club. A similar race in 1886 would 
attract probably more schooners from either 
the Eastern or Atlantic clubs, than from 
the New York. 

Of sloops, there were three from the 
New York, five from the Brooklyn, two 
from the Atlantic, and one — the Schemer — 
then owned by Mr. C. Smith Lee, from the 
Seawanhaka. The winners, I may mention, 
who captured the commissioners’ medal 
and diploma, were the schooners Dread- 
nought and Peerless, and the sloops Arrow 
and Orion. They never got &ny other 
prize. There had been talk of valuable 
trophies in silver ware to be presented 
by the clubs, but so far as I remember, 
a “tarpaulin muster” scarce raised funds 
enough to pay the expenses of the com- 
mittee. 

There can be no doubt that the second 
day’s racing was the event of the Centen- 
nial series ; the owners of the open yachts 
were the only gentlemen that entered into 
the contest with the least enthusiasm. 
Owners of the large yachts had to be 
coaxed to start, but the men that had the 
small boats were eager for the fray, and 
cared for no prize other than the parch- 
ment of the commissioners. It will be a 
tolerable indication of the growing strength 
of the clubs, if I state the number of starters 
from each that came to the line, June 23. 
There were two from the Long Island club, 
five from the Williamsburgh, three from 
the Central Hudson, four from the Brook- 
lyn, two from the Columbia, one from the 
Manhattan, four from the Pavonia, two 
from the Hudson River, one from the Sea- 
wanhaka, one from the Bayonne, one from 
the Mohican, two from the Jersey City, 
one from the Red Bank, one from the Perth 
Amboy, one from the Atlantic and one 
from the Providence Yacht Club; in all 
thirty-two yachts, many of them brand new. 


The Providence entry was the famous 
catamaran Amaryllis, brought down to the 
city by the Herreshoffs. Some gentlemen 
who had seen this wonder sail, advised the 
owners of the second class boats to protest 
against her starting with them, but with 
calm confidence they replied, “ Oh, let her 
come in, nothing can beat our sand-bag 
boats.” So she started, and of course, beat 
the lot and could, I presume, had Mr. Herre- 
shoff so minded, have gone twice o-ver the 
course while the fastest of the sand-baggers 
made one circuit. After the race they pro- 
tested, and curiously enough, the judges 
ruled her out. It made little difference to 
Mr. Herreshoff, however ; he had intro- 
duced a new type of open yacht, and real- 
ized a favorite idea of yachtsmen for a half- 
century previous. It had always been a 
pet scheme with yachtsmen, that by a 
double hull, increased stability with a min- 
imum of resistance could be secured ; but 
it was not until Mr. Herreshoff applied the 
ball and socket joint, permitting each hull 
to accommodate itself to its own sea, that 
the speed was attained. 

The Amaryllis has not had many suc- 
cessors, and this has seemed curious to me, 
for as an open yacht, the catamarans are 
superior to all others in every way. They 
are faster, safer, handier. They will not 
only sail fast ; but they will lie still. There 
is one gentleman who has owned more of 
these craft than any one else, who is so ex- 
pert in handling them, that he can do with 
them what cannot, without great risk, be 
done with any other description of open 
yachts ; that is, weave in and out among 
the steamers and sailing craft of the most 
crowded part of the river front, and make 
a landing without the least damage. He 
has run side by side with the swiftest of the 
harbor steamers and beaten them, and has 
frequently gone the whole length of Long 
Island Sound with only a small boy as 
crew. Surely this cannot be done with any 
other description of open yacht. But ten 
years have passed since the Amaryllis eaxne 
and conquered, and yet there are compar- 
atively few catamarans, not above a score, 
I think, in the whole of the United States. 

The third Centennial race came very 
near being an entire failure. Mr. Kings- 
land, owner of the schooner Alarm, being 
commodore of the New York club, and 
chairman of the committee, had to start 
her against the America, then recently pur- 
chased by General Butler, and the two 
sloops Grade and Arrow were induced to 
start, and this was all. The America alone 


78 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


finished of the schooners, and the Arrow 
beat the Grade 41m. 50s.; and so ended 
the series of Centennial regattas. Except 
the second, they were miserable failures. . 

Meantime, the cup committee of the 
club had named the schooner Madeleine as 
the defender of the cup against the chal- 
lenging Canadian schooner, and there is no 
doubt that the choice was a wise one, for, 
on the whole, her record was the best. 
She had begun her career as a sloop, hav- 
ing been built by David Kirby at Rye, 


She was at this time owned by C!onn 
Jacob Voorhis, Jr., for whom she had 
originally been built, and who had ex- 
pended much money on her in the effort to 
make her a success. He sold her, in 1875, 
to Com. John S. Dickerson, of the Brook- 
lyn club, who owned her for many years. 
The only other yachts considered by the 
committee were the schooners Palmer and 
Idler, but there were no trial races, the quali- 
ties of each yacht being well known ; and, 
as stated, the Madeleine was the final choice. 

The arrival of the Canadian challenging 
schooner. Countess of Hufferin, was her- 
alded by a great flourish of trumpets. The 
telegraph recorded her movements from 
Coburg to Quebec, and all the way down 
the St. Lawrence River, and at each re- 
portable point passed by her until she 
arrived at this port. According to the 
highly seasoned reports, she was a flyer of 
most wonderful speed. “We 
raced two flying coasters, 
early this morning, for thirty 
miles, beating them hollow,” 
wrote one correspondent, 
adding: “The sea-going 
qualities of our boat are fully 
established.” “The yacht 



86 


‘crocodile.” > 


Westchester County, in 1868, and had been 
successively altered, lengthened at each end 
and in the middle, and a second mast 
added, but never became at all famous for 
speed until 1873. "I’his year, at Nyack, 
she was given a longer center-board, longer 
spars, and a new suit of canvas, and this 
season took position as queen of the fleet. 


makes tremendous running,” wrote another 
correspondent. 

Meantime, in response to a request from 
Major Gifford, the cup races fixed for the 
loth and 12th of July had been postponed 
to a later date. 

I may mention here that on July 7, the 
old America had a narrow escape, having 


* Sloop Crocodile, owned by J. G. Prague, New York. 



THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


79 


struck on Brigantine Shoals, off the Jersey 
coast, and was taken off by the Coast 
Wrecking Company, in a leaky condition, 
requiring steam-pumps to keep her afloat. 
General Butler was on board of her. She 
was towed here and repaired. 

The Countess of Dufferin arrived at New 
York July 17, and was found to have been 
a very poor copy of an American schooner 
yacht, and rough as a nutmeg-grater. The 
idea of putting a yacht like the Madeleine 
against her seemed absurd. There were 
scores of fishing schooners in this country 
more sightly than she, and doubtless more 
speedy. Her official certificate of measure- 
ment, from the Secretary of the Royal 
Canadian Yacht Club, stated her length at 
91 feet 6 inches ; beam, 23 feet 6 inches, 
and her tonnage at 200 tons. 

The Brooklyn Yacht Club began its an- 
nual cruise this year from .Glen Cove 
Harbor, July 20, and that it had begun to 
decline in importance was evident by the 
small muster of yachts for its annual 
cruise. 

Notwithstanding the fact that its flag- 
ship had been chosen as a defender of the 
America's Cup, there were only present at 
this annual gathering the schooners Made- 
leine, Clio (at that time owned by the vice- 
commodore, J. R. Platt), Tidal Wave, Sea 
Witch, and Mystic; and of sloops, the 
Niantic (afterwards the Hildegard), Amer- 
ica (afterwards the Kelpie'), and Favorite. 

It was while assembling in Glen Cove 
Harbor, on this occasion, that the news of 
the capsizing of the schooner yacht Mo- 
hawk was telegraphed to the club, and was 
at first discredited by all who were ac- 
quainted with the yacht. It was the almost 
universal opinion that the masts would 
have gone out of the yacht before she 
could have upset, but later intelligence 
confirmed the first announcement, and a 
gloom was thrown over the cruise at its 
very beginning. The particulars of this 
sad accident were that the Mohawk was 
lying off Stapleton, Staten Island, with all 
after canvas set, even to her enormous 
club top-sail. The owner, Mr. William T. 
Garner, was on board, with his wife and a 
few friends. The yacht was just getting 
under way, her chain had been hove short, 
and her jibs had been run up, in order 
that, as she gathered way, she might break 
out the anchor from its hold on the bottom, 
the capstan being of insufficient power. 
The helm was a-weather, when a hard 
squall from the north-west struck the yacht, 
as she lay without way, and without the 


possibility of gathering way, and she went 
down until she filled and sank. Mr. Garner 
was drowned while trying to rescue his 
wife from the cabin. Some ballast had 
shifted and pinned her fast, so that the 
effort was unsuccessful, and she also lost 
her life. 

Much unmerited criticism was made 
upon the Moha^vk's model, and upon cen- 
ter-board yachts generally, and a check 
was given to the sport from which it did 
not recover for years. In point of fact, the 
Mohatvk was as safe a vessel as ever 
floated. She was lost through the grossest 
carelessness, and in consequence of the 
over-confidence felt in her stability. There 
has been no vessel yet built in this world 
that cannot be wrecked by careless hand- 
ling, and that the Mohawk upset was in no 
wise due to any defect of model. Properly 
handled, she was more than ordinarily 
safe. 

The third race for the Brenton’s Reef 
Challenge Cup, afterwards happily carried 
away to Europe by the cutter Genesta, was 
sailed July 27 to 29, 1876. It was one of 
the four offered by Mr. Bennett when vice- 
commodore of the N.Y.Y.C., in 1872, the 
other three being the challenge cups for 
schooners and sloops over the regular 
course of the club, and the Cape May 
Challenge Cup, also captured later on by 
the British cutter Genesta. 

This cup race had never been a popular 
one. It had been offered time and again, 
and no entries for the race had been re- 
ceived, and it had been sailed for but 
twice, each time by the schooners Rambler 
and Madeleine, one of the races being a 
return match growing out of the first. It 
would not have attracted any entries this 
5^ear, had it not been that the owners of 
the Wanderer and Idler desired to give 
the Canadian visitor a chance. General 
Butler desired to exhibit the America as a 
winner, and the owner of the Tidal Wave, 
desiring to sell her, thought it would add 
to her value if she could win this race. 
Right here I may say that, if he had ex- 
pended a few hundred dollars for new 
ropes and sails, it is very probable that she 
would have been the victor ; certainly she 
would have had a long lead at the Brenton’s 
Reef Light-ship, as she showed a better 
turn of speed on the reach along the coast 
than either of the other yachts, and al- 
though continually breaking down, she was 
the first to turn the mark. 

The Countess of Dufferin did not enter 
for this race, but she started with the 


«o 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


yachts “just to see what she could do,” 
her owner said. In his heart of hearts, he 
believed he was going to come home at the 
end of the race far in advance of any other 
yacht. 



of the secretary’s certificate, already given. 
By Mr. Smith’s tape-line, she was 100.85 
feet over all, 95.55 feet water-line, 23.55 
feet beam, 7.4 feet deep. 

The Atlantic Yacht Club this year 
started from Glen Cove on its annual 
cruise July 30, and it did not muster a 
very large fleet, but it was larger than on 
previous years. There were the schooners 
Triton, Peerless, and Agnes, and the sloops 
Undine, Orion, Nimbus, Myra, Genia, 
Lotus, and Hope. 'I'here was a great 
gathering of open racing craft this year 
at Newburgh, the starters numbering 
twenty-five, among them being the 
William R. Brown, a new racer 
just built at Brooklyn by Mr. 
Harry Smedley, and out of 
this Newburgh race grew 
a series of two matches 
between this yacht 
and the Susie S., 


ZOE.” > 


So the starters were the schooners Idler, 
Wanderer, Tidal JVave, America, and 
Countess of Dufferin. The Idler won, with 
the Wanderer second, the rest nowhere. 
When the Idler was sold, the cup reverted 
to the club, and was never again competed 
for until the SNchooner Dauntless and the 
cutter Genesta sailed for it, in 1885. In all 
probability it never would have been sailed 
for, for the owners did not like the course. 
They were, therefore, very willing that the 
British cutter should take it over, because 
it gives them an opportunity of a race in 
British winters, unhampered by British 
rules of measurement. For the races for 
this cup there is no allowance of time, and 
the beamy yacht can’t be discriminated 
against. Just before the start on this race, 
the Canadian yacht was measured on the 
dock by Mr. A. Cary Smith, at that time 
measurer of the N.Y.Y.C., and he made her 
somewhat different from the measurement 


for $500 a side in each race, one at 
Newburgh, and the other in New York 
Bay. I may add that only one was sailed 
— that at Newburgh, where the Brown 
belonged — and her owner paid half for- 
feit, and did not come down the river to be 
beaten. 

August 3, Major Gifford, owner of the 
Countess of Dufferin, asked for a further 
delay of the races for the cup until August 
14, but finally agreed to be ready August 
1 1, and it was arranged that this should be 
the date of the first race, the other to be 
sailed August 13, and the third, if neces- 
sary, August 14. 

The first race for the cup was sailed on 
the day appointed, the entry being : 


NAME. 

WATER-LINE 

LENGTH. 

CUBIC 

CONTENTS. 

FEET. 

ALLOW- 

ANCES. 

Countess of Dufferin. . 

Madeleine 

95-53 

95.02 

9,028.04 

8,499.17 

M. S. 

allows. 

1. 1 


' Sloop Zoe, owned by H. A. Sanderson, New York. (One of the Larchraont cracks.) 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


8i 


The Canadian yacht showed much bet- 
ter in this first race than had been ex- 
pected. But she had been much improved 
since her first arrival. Captain Cuthbert, 
her builder and sailing master, was a friend 
of the Elsworths, of Bayonne, N.J., expert 
yacht racers from their boyhood, and 
under their advice, the Countess had been 
placed upon the dock at Port Richmond, 
and scraped and sand-papered, and made as 
smooth as was possible, and she was then 
given a coat of pot-lead and tallow. All 
her sails, also, with a few exceptions, had 
been made in New York, and so, as a daily 
paper remarked, whichever way the con- 
test terminated, it would be a victory for 
the American model. 

The race, however, attracted much in- 
terest, although not a tithe of that evinced 
when the Cambria and Livonia came, or 
when the Genesta appeared as a challenger. 
Still there were a dozen excursion steamers 
and a couple of dozen of yachts present at the 
start ready to go over the course with the 
racers. The start was a pretty one, and that 
the reader may judge of the quality of the 
two yachts, the following table of times is 
given, the wind being south, a moderate 
breeze, and the tide last quarter flood : 


NAME, 

START. 

h. m, s. 

BUOV 10. 

h. m. s. 

LIGHTS 

SHIP. 

h. m.s. 

BUOY 10. 

h. m. s. 

FINISH. 

h. m. s. 

Madeleine 

11.16.51 

1.19.19 

2.51.52 

3-57-28 

4.41.26 

Countess of 

Dufferin. . 

11.17.06 

1.26.32 

2-56.33 

4.06.48 

4-51-59 


The Madeleine, therefore, won by 9m. 
58s. actual time, and by lom. 59s. cor- 
rected time. 

The second and concluding race was 
sailed the next day, and the course was 
twenty miles to windward from Sandy 
Hook and return, the wind light throughout 
from south-south-east,and the water smooth. 
The old yacht America, the original win- 
ner of the cup, stripped for a contest, 
sending all weight ashore that could be 
spared, and in racing fettle went over the 
course with the other two yachts, beating 
the Canadian yacht, but being in turn 
beaten by the Madeleine ; and as a matter 
of comparison, I will give the times of all 
three schooners over the course : 


NAME. ' 

START. 

h. m. s. 

OUTER 

MARK. 

h. m. s. 

FINISH. 

h. m. s. 

Madeleine 

12.17.24 

5 - 01-52 

7.37.11 

Countess of Dufferin 

12.17.58 

5-13-41 

8.03.58 

America 

12.22.09 

5 - 04-53 

7.49-00 


It will be seen that to the outer mark, the 
America beat both the other schooners. The 
difference in time between the Madeleine 
and Countess of Dufferin at the finish does 
not accurately represent the distance be- 
tween them, as after the Madeleine finished, 
the wind failed, and the tide being ahead, 
the Countess of Dufferin was a long time 
doing a short distance. She was, howqver, 
decidedly beaten. 

August 14, the fleet of the New York 
club assembled in Glen Cove Harbor 
to begin the annual cruise. Of schoon- 
ers, there were the Alarm (the flagship). 
Restless, Wanderer, Dreadnought, Estelle, 
Rambler, Fainter, Idler, Foam, Vesta, and 
Meta. Sloops Arrow, Vindex, Vision, 
Windward, and Wayward. 

The programme agreed upon was an 
extended one, and included a visit to 
Greenport, Vineyard Haven, Marblehead, 
the Isle of Shoals, Portland, Province- 
town, Vineyard Haven, and Newport, sail- 
ing races there August 28 and 29, and 
disbanding the 30th. All this was changed 
later on, and the new schedule was from 
Shelter Island to New London, Newport, and 
Vineyard Haven, and the participation in 
the regatta of the Eastern Yacht Club at 
Swampscott was abandoned. The cruise 
was a very tame one, and the fleet broke 
up at Edgartown August 21. 

Probably if the Canadian schooner had 
accompanied the fleet, it would have taken 
her around Cape Cod, and the original 
programme would have been adhered to ; 
but Major Gifford had had enough of it. 
The funds of the syndicate of club mem- 
bers which had built and sent her to the 
contest were running low, some new sails 
purchased in New York were yet to be 
paid for, and things were in no condition 
for a junketing excursion. 

As it was, although the cruise was practi- 
cally at an end at Vineyard Haven, some of 
the yachts went on to the east as far as 
Provincetown, returning to Newport August 
27, where they finally separated. 

It was about the last of August that Mr. 
J. E. Loubat, owner of the schooner-5^acht 
Enchantress, presented to the New York 
Yacht Club a $1,000 cup to be sailed for 
October 12, open to all schooner-yachts of 
100 tons and upward, belonging to any 
organized club in the world, on an allow- 
ance of twelve seconds to the ton ; New 
York Yacht Club rules to govern in all 
other respects. The course to be from off 
Owl’s Head, to and around Sandy Hook 
Light-ship, thence to and around the Cape 


82 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


May Light-ship and return. I may mention 
that the only entries for this prize were the 
schooners Idler., owned by Mr. Samuel J. 
Colgate, and the Atalanta, owned by Mr. 
William Astor. The start was made Octo- 
ber 12, and the Atalanta won, beating the 



determined mainly by chance, that they 
have proven so distasteful to yacht 
owners. 

This race concluded the racing of this re- 
markably active yachting year, but previous 
to this, on September i6, the Seawanhaka 
club had a fine fall regatta at 
Oyster Bay, and also a fall event 
over the regular club course on 
September 19. The entries to 
the latter event, however, were 
few, only two schooners in each 
of the two schooner classes, and 
a single sloop in each of the 
two classes of that rig, showing 
that owners had become tired of 
racing. The Seawanhaka club 
finally wound up its season by a 
Corinthian race for all second- 
class schooners over its New 
York course, and the 
Brooklyn club had also 
a concluding race over 
its regular course. The 
Atlantic club also had 
a pennant regatta on 
September 23. Beside 
these, there were fall 
events in all the minor 
clubs in this neighbor- 
hood, showing that the 
impetus given to the 
sport by the challenge 
for the America's Cup 
was felt to the end of 
the season. 

Early in the year 
1877, what may be 




Idler 3h. lom. 3s. It was a fluky race, called the second “cutter” ever built ia 
and the result did not correctly show the this country, was begun by Mr. John 
relative merits of the two yachts. It is Mumm, at the foot of Court street, Brook- 
because these long races have always been lyn, from a design by Mr. Robert Center. 

• Schooner Ciiana, owned by Wm. F. Weld, Jr., Philadelphia. 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


83 


She was 40 feet on the water-line ; 1 2 

feet beam, and 6 feet 10 inches deep, and 
she had a ton of lead outside. She 
was more like the British cutters in her 
model and rig than the Petrel had been, for 
her jib set flying, and the bowsprit was a 
sliding one. Later on, when what had been 
aptly called the “cutter craze ” became vir- 
ulent, there were writers who assumed all 
the credit of the introduction of yachts of 
this type into this country, but the fact is 
patent that Mr. Hyslop and Mr. Center 
were the first two gentlemen who brought 
practically to the notice of the American 
yachtsmen the British cutter, and claimed 
for it a superiority over the ordinary cen- 
ter-board sloop. The name of this keel- 
sloop or cutter was the Volante, and she 
proved a much greater success in the mat- 
ter of speed than her designer ever believed 
possible, his only aim in her design being to 
produce something entirely safe for two 
young relatives to sail in. 

I think it must be admitted that the 
Seawanhaka Yacht Club has done more to 
promote yacht racing than any other or- 
ganization during the time of its existence. 
It has never aimed at being a social club, 
but always a racing one, and in March of 
this year it adopted its racing programme 
for the season, appropriating $900 for a 
Corinthian race June 16, for first and sec- 
ond class schooners open to all clubs. An 
Ocean race for first and second class 
schooners, June 23, owners to steer, open 
to all clubs, appropriating $585 for prizes ; 
an annual regatta at Oyster Bay July 4, 
$425 for prizes ; a race for open boats at 
Oyster Bay, July 28, $50 for each class; 
four races for open boats at Oyster Bay, 
the last four Saturdays in September, $50 
for each class, and a Ladies’ day in Sept- 
ember, at an expense of $200. With the 
exception of the two last fixtures, all the 
races were sailed as arranged. 

The Seawanhaka club also during this 
winter initiated a series of lectures on 
yacht designing etc., which have proved to 
be of immense benefit to its members, 
starting many of them on a quest for 
information in this direction, the result 
being apparent in a much better class of 
yachts in the succeding decade. 

The Brooklyn Yacht Club disposed of 
its house on Gravesend Bay this year, and 
took one more step backwards by not pro- 
viding itself with another. I think it may 
safely be assumed that if a yacht club has 
no head-quarters and anchorage, it will 
drop astern of its sister organizations. 


The New York club may perhaps be cited 
as an exception to this rule, but that club 
has not progressed as it should have done, 
since its house on Staten Island and its 
anchorage off Stapleton were given up, and, 
therefore, the rule holds good even in 
regard to that organization. 

Meantime, yachting in the harbors of the 
New England States had been making 
great advances. The total number of 
American yacht clubs in 1877 was fifty-three, 
of which number twelve were in the New 
England States and mostly in Boston and 
its neighborhood. In and around New 
York City there were twenty-three. There 
were eight on the Lakes, and ten in South- 
ern waters. In the aggregate membership 
were 772 owners. 

Among the New England clubs, the 
Eastern was in 1877, as it is in 1886, the 
principal, and it then had twenty-nine 
schooners, twelve sloops and two steam 
yachts on its rolls, but it must be noted 
that of their schooners, all the large ones 
were New York rather than Eastern club 
yachts. For instance, there were among 
them the Dauntless, Alarm, Columbia, 
Faustine, E 7 ichantress etc. It had an ag- 
gregate of 233 members, but as with the 
yachts, many of them owed their principal 
allegiance to the New York Yacht Club. 
It may be interesting to know that the 
commodore of the Eastern Yacht Club, in 
1877, was Mr. J. Malcolm Forbes, who in 
1886 owned the celebrated sloop yacht 
Puritan. 

Next to the Eastern in importance, and 
its senior in age, was the Boston club with 
258 members, who were all, or nearly all, 
Boston yacht club men. Its muster roll 
comprised seventy-eight yachts, of which 
fourteen were schooners, and sixty-one 
sloops, with three steamers. 

The Dorchester club, like .the Seawan- 
haka of New York, was from the first a 
racing organization. It had averaged six 
races each season since 1870, when it was 
first organized. 

The South Boston club had about thirty 
yachtsi in 1877 and a membership of 150. 

The Beverly club had ninety-six members 
and fifty-four yachts, mostly small, open 
cat-rigged affairs, handled almost invariably 
by their owners, and requiring more skill 
than any other class of yacht that can be 
named. 

The East Boston club organized in 1874 
had in 1877 twenty-five members. 

The Portland club in 1877 had 140 mem- 
bers and twenty-five yachts. 


84 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


The Bunker Hill club, organized in 1869, 
had in 1877 twenty-six yachts, nine of 
which were schooners, the largest of which, 
however, was but 39 feet 9 inches in length, 
and the smallest 18 feet. 

The New Bedford club was organized in 
1877, and as is well known to yachting men, 
has been one of the most prosperous in the 
country since that time. 

The Lynn club, organized in 1870, with 
eleven yachts and sixteen members, had 
in 1877 thirty-seven yachts and 132 mem- 
bers. 

The Haverhill club, organized in 1874, 
with about a dozen members and some 
half dozen yachts, had in three years grown 
to thirty members and thirteen yachts, two 
of which were steamers. 

The Quincy club, also organized in 1874, 
had grown to be an active and flourishing 
organization in 1877, and has since that 
time gone ahead with a spinnaker breeze. 

The above bare mention of the New 
England clubs, will show how the sport of 
yachting had broadened out. Each of 
these clubs had at least one, and some six 
and eight races during the season, and 
builders and sail-makers in Boston were 
kept busy for the whole year round. 

1877, however, was a dull yachting year. 
It was the natural reaction from the ani- 
mation and excitement of the centennial year 
which preceded it, and at its beginning, 
there were only three new yachts building 
in all- the United States, if the open boats 
be excepted ; and of these, there were 
much fewer than usual. 

A feature of yachting in 1877 was the 
building of the double-hulled schooner 
yacht Nereid, for Mr. Anson Phelps Stokes, 
at Staten Island, by Mr. “Lew” Towne. 
She came afterwards to be known as Stokes’ 
Folly, but when first built, she frightened 
the owners of second class schooners so 
much that a special meeting of the New 
York Yacht Club was held, in order to 
take measures to bar her out of the races, 
and the movement came very near succeed- 
ing. The hulls were three feet wide and 
placed ten feet apart, she was schooner rig- 
ged, with masts 43 feet and topmast 20 feet, 
boom 28 feet and gaff 14 feet, the hulls were 
5 feet deep and each had a 5 foot center- 
board. She was steered with one rudder 
hung between the two hulls ; in one hull 
were accommodated the officers and crew, 
and in the other the owner and guests. Not 
having the Herreshoff ball and socket 
joints, and the connections between the 
hulls being rigid, she was an entire failure. 


Mr. Charles A. Meigs, of Staten Island, 
was quite an enthusiast on the subject of 
double-hulled yachts, and he had one built 
this year at the foot of Court Street, Brook- 
lyn. The hulls were 46 feet each, of 3 feet 
6 inch beam. The connection between 
them was rigid, and of course the usual 
result, flat failure, followed. Any one 
looking at a Herreshoff catamaran as she 
bounds along, each hull having Its own 
independent motion, will realize what the 
hulls of the boat rigidly connected desire 
to do and are unable ; one of two things 
must surely happen, either there will be no 
speed or the connection will break, to per- 
mit the desired motion. In the case of 
Mr. Meigs’ boat, she was built in the most 
flimsy manner, and went all to pieces. 

I ought not to omit to mention, in a his- 
tory of American )'^achting, that the sport 
of racing miniature yachts attained quite a 
prominence during the years 1876 and 
1877, the principal head-quarters for this 
sport being the lake in Prospect Park^ 
The lessons learned there have been appar- 
ent in many changes in model and rig 
adopted since. It would have been well if 
the sport had been encouraged, but after a 
year or two it fell into disuse. 

The annual June regatta of the New 
York Yacht Club, this year, was memorable 
for the squall at the finish, which caught 
the schooners Rambler and Wanderer, with 
all sail set, and obliged them to let every- 
thing go by the run, the Wanderer forging 
over the line a winner, with her club top- 
sail flying far out to leeward like an im- 
mense flag of triumph, and her balloon 
main topmast staysail dragging under the 
lee counter. The Rambler, in a hardly 
less disheveled condition, was but one 
minute behind her. The scene is well 
portrayed in a picture by A. Cary Smith, a 
copy of which is to be seen in all collec- 
tions of yachting pictures. 

All the clubs had their annual events as 
usual, but for the most part they were 
tamer affairs than usual, and there was 
nothing especial to note about them. Per- 
haps the most noteworthy was the Corin- 
thian match of the Seawanhaka club, 
which mustered two second-class schoon- 
ers, two first-class sloops, and nine second- 
class sloops. There was a fresh breeze, 
and during a portion of the race, a hard 
rain, the amateurs doing their work with 
all the efficiency of professional seamen. 

June 22, a novel accident occurred dur- 
ing a race between the catamarans Ama- 
ryllis and John Gilpin, both Herreshofl 


s 


THE HISTORY OF A MERIC AH YACHTING. 


85 


ooats, the former, the original one, intro- 
duced at the Centennial regatta the pre- 
ceding year ; while going at a very rapid 
rate, the bows of the two hulls ran under, 
and her momentum was so great that she 
turned completely, end over end. Since 
that time, the hulls have been built with a 
rank sheer forward, in order to counteract 
this tendency to run under. 

The cruise of the Brooklyn Yacht club 
this year was a miserable failure, only seven 
yachts putting in an appearance at the 
start, which was diminished to five at the 
close of the cruise, two schooners and 
three sloops. 

The New York Yacht club, however, 
had a fine muster of yachts, and left Glen 
Cove, August 8, visiting New London. 
Greenport, Block Island, Vineyard Haven, 
New Bedford and Newport, disbanding 
there August 17. 

A race for the Bennett Cape May Chal- 
lenge Cup, and the last contest for this prize 
previous to its being captured by the Brit- 
ish cutter Genesfa, was sailed September 4 
to 6 ; the starters having been the 
schooners Idler, Rambler, Vesta and Dread- 
nought. The Idler was the winner with 
the Rambler second. When the Idler was 
sold, the cup came back to the club, which 


held it until 1885, not having been able to 
obtain any entries for it^ although it was 
frequently offered and days, set for the 
race. As an interesting incident of this 
year’s yachting, I may mention the launch 
of Mr. William Astor’s schooner Ambassa- 
dress, the largest sailing yacht ever built in 
this country. She was built by Mr. David 
Carll, at City Island, and launched Septem- 
ber 19, and is 148 feet long, 29 feet beam, 
12 feet 3 inches deep, and ii feet draught. 

September 27, the Atlantic Yacht Club’s 
fall regatta was sailed with three schoon- 
ers and seven sloops as starters. Most of 
the time during the race the fog was ex- 
tremely dense, and on the return off Sandy 
Hook, the committee’s tug, Cyclops, ran 
into the Richmond steamer, Isaac Bell, 
damaging her seriously, so that she had to 
return to the city for repairs. I close the 
record of the year 1877, and this article, 
already too long, by recording that on 
November 9, the schooner yacht Ariel, a 
sister vessel to the Clio, started on a voy- 
age to San Francisco, having been pur- 
chased by a gentleman there, and that she 
arrived there all right in due time, proving 
once more, if any proof was needed, that 
center-board yachts, even of the smallest 
size, can safely make an ocean voyage. 



i 



THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACH 1 TXG. 


i:y captain 

Author of “ Old Sailor Yarns,” 

From 1878 to 1885. 

Very early in the year 1878, Mr. Lester 
Wallack, the celebrated actor, at that time 
the owner of the famous schooner Colum- 
bia, was elected Commodore of the Rrook- 
lyn Yacht Club, and he was, 1 think, its last 
commodore for many years. In a little 
speech which he made on assuming his of- 
fice, Mr. Wallack frankly confessed that he 
was no great sailor and no great yachtsman. 
He was, as all know, a very estimable gen- 
tleman, but about the most unsuitable per- 
son that the club could have selected, in 
view of its waning fortune, to take the 
executive charge. 

I may mention, as something which has 
had a decided influence for good on Amer- 
ican yachting, that during the winter of 
1878, Mr. A. Cary Smith, by invitation of 
the Seawanhaka Yacht Club, delivered a 
series of lectures before its members at 
Delmonico’s, on Naval Architecture. The 
information thus obtained has been supple- 
mented by study in other quarters, and the 
result has been the introduction of a better 
class of yachts, and more perfectly fitted, 
than before. It was in the early part of 
1878, that the keel schooner Intrepid was 
built at Brooklyn by the Poillons, from a 
design by Mr. A. Cary Smith. While upon 
the stocks she was very extensively criti- 
cised. It was asserted that she was too 
fine forward, her “ dead flat ” too far aft, 
that she would bury in driving hard, etc. 
She falsified the predictions of these wise 
people, by proving a success in every way, 
and was one of the finest yachts in the 
fleet. Her owner, Mr. Lloyd Phenix, be- 
ing an expert navigator, has made several 
foreign cruises in her. 

In May, 1 87 8, the s,c\\oox\er ysLcht Moha 7 uk 
was sold to the United States Coast Survey 
Service, and her name changed to the 
Eagre. It is notable that after a year of 
more than ordinary excitement, such as 
occurs always, when an international event 
is one of the season’s incidents, the next 
year is marked by a general dullness and 


R. F. COFFIN, 

“Thr .■\merica’s Cui’,” etc., etc. 

1 . 

this was particularly the case during the 
season of 1878. I'he clubs all had their 
regattas as usual, but they were tame 
affairs, the entries few and the attendance 
small. The New York club tried to have 
a race June 13, but it failed from lack of 
wind, and was sailed June 14, in the pres- 
ence of only the committee and a few 
reporters. There started two keel schoon- 
ers, two first-class and three second-class 
centerboard schooners, only one first-class 
sloop, the Vision, and four second-class 
sloops. 

A notable race of this season, was a con- 
test of small open yachts in the bay. The 
affair was organized by a volunteer com- 
mittee of gentlemen interested in yachting, 
the money for the expense being obtained 
by subscription and the entry made free. 
It drew together forty-three starters, divided 
into five classes, and was an extremely 
successful affair. 

In July of this year, the cutter Muriel 
was built for Mr. James Stillman, by Mr. 
Henry Piepgras at Brooklyn, from a design 
by Mr. John Harvey of England, this being 
the first real bona fide British cutter ever 
built in this country. She was 45 feet over 
all ; 9 feet beam ; 6 feet, 3 inches deep ; 7 
feet, 9 inches draught, and carried 6J4 tons 
of outside lead. What came to be called 
the “cutter controversy” was just then 
beginning to rage in this country, and the 
advocates of the British boat were claiming 
superior speed for their favorite model, 
which was as strenuously denied by the 
centerboard partisans, and Mr. James Still- 
man, a prominent member of the New York 
Yacht Club, then the owner of the schooner 
yacht Wanderer, determined to test the 
question practically by having a yacht 
built from the lines as near as might be of 
the fastest of her class in Great Britain. 
The Muriel was not a success in the mat- 
ter of speed, nor have any of the successors 
of this type been, the centerboard boat, in 
good breezes, having always proven the 
most speedy. It has also been proven, 
that this style of 3'acht is less comfortable 

86 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


87 


than the broad centerboard, and not suited 
for the shallow American harbors. They 
are, however, very handsome craft, and out 
of the controversy as to cutter and center- 
board, has come a compromise between 
the two extremes of broad and shallow and 
deep and narrow, which is superior to 
either. The centerboard is retained, but 
with it is a keel, through which it plays. 
The yacht is made narrower and deeper 
than of old, the lack of stability due to 
narrowing the model, being made up by 
outside lead. 

The Muriel, however, attracted much 
attention, and considerable ridicule when 
she first appeared. The Seawanhaka club 
was first to lead off this season with a 
cruise ; the first Corinthian cruise ever 
attempted in this country ; the yachts being 
all manned and sailed by amateurs. The 
fleet started from Oyster Bay, L. L, and it 
consisted of one schooner and six sloops. 
It went on to New London and thence to 
Newport. 

The Atlantic Club 
was the next to stare 
a fleet, and had six 
schooners and twelve 
sloops, and it signal- 
ized its cruise by giv- 
ing a regatta at 


always been a favorite stopping-place for 
this club, and at one time it contem- 
plated making this port its headquarters. 
Fortunately, the project fell through. 

The New York Yacht Club mustered ten 
schooners and four sloops for the annual 
cruise, and went direct from Glen Cove to 
Greenport, getting there while the fleet of 
the Atlantic Club was in the harbon. It 



’ “ BEDOUIN.” 


Greenport, L. I., starting twenty-six went from Greenport to New London, 
boats, twelve of which did not belong to thence to Newport, and thence to New 
the club. These regattas in Greenport Bedford, where a race was arranged for the 
were features of the Atlantic Club’s an- purpose of giving the Boston sloop Thistle 
nual cruises for several years. It has an opportunity to test her speed with the 

' Cutter “ Bedouin.” Owned by Mr. Archibald Rogers, New York. 


88 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 



New York sloops. The race was sailed 
August 14, the Thistle sailing against the 
Active, Vixen and Regina. The Boston 
yacht started ahead and led all around the 
course, but was beaten by the Vixen, im. 
14s. elapsed, and 2m. 57s. corrected time. 
She was miserably sailed, however, and it 
was my opinion at the time, I having been 
on board of her during the race, that had 
she been as well handled as the New York 
sloops, she would have beaten them, "^he 
Active beat the Thistle 27s. and the Thistle 
beat the Regina 2m. 44s. The course was 
twenty miles. 

1 may mention as an incident of this 
cruise, that in a run from Vineyard 


mark. They tried again October 22, and 
made the race, the weather having been 
moderate and sea smooth, and the Grade 
won by 13m. 46s., thus ending the season 
of 1878. 

The next season was a dull one and 
there was little of note in its events. The 


' “MAGGIE.” 


Haven to Newport, the double-hulled 
schooner Neried heat the fleet, gaining her 
only victory. She took a short cut through 
Woods Hole, gaining a fair tide thereby, 
and arrived at Newport twenty seconds 
ahead of the Vixen, which came second. 

The Brooklyn club issued a most elab- 
orate programme for a cruise, but no yachts 
appeared at the rendezvous and the cruise 
did not take place, and since then the 
Brooklyn has been a club only in name. 
October 15 of this year, the sloops Grade 
and Vision attempted a race twenty miles 
to windward from the Sandy Hook Light- 
ship. The Vision was of the most pro- 
nounced skimming-dish type, drawing but 
4 feet, 10 inches of water on a water-line 
length of 60 feet, 2 inches. The Grade drew 
6 feet, 3 inches on a water line of 65 feet. 
Neither was fit for ocean racing, and both 
were disabled and failed to reach the outer 


clubs, big and little, had their regattas, the 
entries few and the interest trifling, and 
confined altogether to the particular club 
whose yachts were racing. 

It was in June of this year, that Mr. 
Piepgras built the cutter Yolande, the sec- 
ond real British cutter ever built in this 
country. She was built in the yard attached 
to Mr. Piepgras’ dwelling, and then moved 
through the street to the water, several 
blocks distant. 

I call her a cutter, because by common 
consent this name has been given to deep, 
narrow yachts, similar in model and rig to 
the one-masted vessels common in England, 
and to distinguish them from the broad 
and shallow centerboard sloops. Of course, 
properly speaking, the rig should govern 
the designation in this, as in all other craft, 
ship, bark, brig, schooner, etc. ; but we 
needed some appellation which should 


I Cutter “ Maggie.” Owned by Mr. L. Cass Ledyard. New York. 


rilE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


■designate the shape of the hull, and this 
term “cutter” has been adopted. The 
Yohinde was a cutter to all intents and 
purposes; cutter in model and cutter in rig. 
So anxious, however, have the advocates 
of English yachts been to prove that the 
cutter could beat all creation, that every 
sloop which has proven at all fast, has been 
dubbed a cutter, and the term has become 
rather confusing. I intend, when speaking 
of cutters, to designate such yachts as 
the Muriel, Yolande, Bedouin, Wenonah, 
Stranger, Madge, Clara, etc., and not such as 
the Huron, Thetis, Puritan, Mayflower, etc. 

The Yolande was built for Mr. M. Roose- 
velt Schuyler, the most pronounced advo- 
cate of the cutter model that we have ever 
had in this country. Mr. Schuyler was an 
extremist ; not only did he believe the 
cutter possessed of superior excellence, 
but he insisted that all other types were 
faulty in the extreme and could have no 
good quality. The was 32 feet over 

all, 25 feet water line, 7 feet, 6 inches beam, 
and 5 feet deep. She had a deep rocker keel 
composed entirely of < lead which weighed 
8,700 pounds, and there were 1,300 pounds 
of lead inside, molded to fit the frames. 

Generally uncomfortable, and entirely 
unfit for shallow water, the Yolande was 
not without her advantages. She was safer 
and had more accommodation than any 
other boat of the same water line, and could 
and did sail, in weather which sent the 
average centerboard craft scurrying for a 
sheltered harbor. In the ordinary summer 
weather, however, the centerboard of her 
length could sail around her with ease. Mr. 
Schuyler exhibited her weatherly qualities, 
by keeping her in commission until the snow 
began to fall, and showed that in bad 
weather, she could drown the centerboard 
boat completely. 

She and the Muriel marked the introduc- 
tion of a type of yacht that has undoubted 
advantages, but which, upon the whole, is 
not as well suited to the requirements of 
American yachting as is the centerboard, 
nor are they as a rule as speedy. 

I may mention in passing, the building 
of another representative craft in July, 
1879, ^nd that was the iron centerboard 
sloop Mischief. She was the second sail- 
ing yacht built of iron in this country, and 
was a success as a racing vessel. We have 
had several iron yachts built since then, 
both sailing craft and steam, and I think 
that finally iron or mild steel will entirely 
supersede wood as building material for 
the pleasure fleet. Certainly it is best for 


S9 

steam yachts, and I think it better for sailing 
craft, as being lighter, dryer and stronger. 

The cruise of the New York Yacht Club 
this year was marked by one of the old- 
fashioned regattas at New Bedford, for 
which, as I have shown, the club was 
famous in its early career. The entry was 
not, to be sure, a very famous one, but it 
made a fete day for the old whaling city, 
and will long 'be remembered. 

There were two schooners, the Tidal 
Wave Wid Phantom, in the first class, and 
four, the Magic, Peerless, Azalia and Clio, 
in the second. There were also two classes 
of sloops, three in each. The winners 
were the schooners Tidal Wave and Magic, 
and the sloops Niantic (afterwards Hilde- 
gard) and Vixen. 

October 17, 1879, there started four 
sloops from Sandy Hook Lightship, for a 
race around the Cape May Lightship and 
return, for a cup valued at $700, offered 
some years previous by Mr. Robert Center, 
then the owner of the iron sloop Vindex. 
He had successfully kept her in commission 
for a whole winter, defying the gale with 
the stoutest of pilot boats, but creating an 
impression in the minds of the hardy toil- 
ers of the sea in those boats, as they saw 
the Vindex under short canvas bobbing like 
a cork on the ocean swell, that “ the gentle- 
man was not just right aloft.” They were 
unable to realize that any sane man should 
go to sea in such weather for pastime. 

Mr. Center having demonstrated the 
ability of his iron keel vessel, cutter rigged, 
to withstand successfully all sorts of 
weather, determined with fine irony to 
show that the centerboard sloop could not 
do this ; and so offered this cup for com- 
petition by sloop yachts in the month of 
October. For years the cup went begging, 
but in 1879 fhe Mischief, Regina, Wave 
and Blanche started for it ; and this is not 
half as wonderful as that they all returned 
safely the next day. The “sweet little 
cherub ” was certainly on watch during 
this race, for with the exception of the 
Mischief, four more unsuitable craft to be 
caught outside of Sandy Hook in October 
could not be found. I think it will be of 
interest if I give the dimensions of these 
“ bowls ” in which the four “ wise men of 
Gotham ” embarked : 


NAME. 

OWNER. 

OVER 

ALL. 

WATER 

LINE. 

BEAM 

DEI'TH 



ft. in. 

ft. in. 

ft. in. 

ft. in. 

Mischief 

J. R. Busk 

67 S 

61 0 

IQ 10 

7 9 

Regina 

W. W. W. Stewart 

50 8 

47 3 

16 3 

S 6 

Wave 

Dr. J. G. Harrow 

41 8 

38 7 

14 8 

4 3 

Blanche 

C. H. Grundy 

41 0 

38 6 

14 6 

4 <• 


90 


THE nr STORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


The Mischief was able to sail at least 
one-third faster than either of the others 
by reason of size, and as there was no time 
allowance she won with all ease. There 
was a moderate gale the day after the 
arrival of the yachts, and in some way a 
report got abroad that the Wave was miss- 
ing, causing much uneasiness among the 
friends of those on board of her. As a 
remarkable race this is worthy of note here. 
I may mention also that the Mischiefs time 
was 39h. 47m., beating the Regina, which 
came second, 4h. 20m. d'he Wave was 
third. In this connection, and having 
expressed an opinion as to the unsuitable- 
ness of shallow centerboard yachts of small 
size to encounter an ocean breeze and sea, 
1 will give an illustration in opposition to 
that opinion. Early in the month of Febru- 
ary, 1880, the sloop yacht Coming, having 
been purchased by a New York gentleman, 
he employed Captain Germaine and his 
brother of Glen Cove,L.I.,to proceed to New 
London, where the yacht had wintered, and 
bring her to New York. Captain Germaine 
employed Mr. William H. Lane of New 
London to assist him and having bent 
the sails, they, as ordered by the owner, 
awaited a favorable chance to come to New 
York. It came in the shape of an offer 
from Captain Scott, of the tug boat Alert, 
who having been hired to tow the British 
brig Guisborough to New York from New 
London, offered Captain Germaine a free 
tow, and the Coming made fast to the stern 
of the brig and started. AVhen a little to 
westward of New Haven, a hard northeast 
gale was encountered, and the tug finally, 
for her own safety, was obliged to let go 
the brig and make for New Haven for 
shelter. The brig made sail, but her sails 
were blown away and she finally sank off 
Northport, L. L, all on board perishing. 
Of the yacht nothing was heard for some 
days, when she was sighted off Southold, 
L. L, dismasted, with bowsprit gone, and 
port bow somewhat injured ; but in all 
other respects in good condition. The 
anchors were on the bows, and the boats 
hung at the davits. In the cabin a meal 
of corned beef and cabbage Avas spread, 
and not a dish had fallen to the floor. The 
mast had fallen directly aft and lay on the 
deck, the wreck of the bowsprit and rig- 
ging was overboard, and this had operated 
as a drag keeping her head to the sea. 
Evidently the captain and crew, believing 
that they would be safer on the brig, hauled 
up under her counter to get on board of 
her, and in so doing the bowsprit and mast 


were carried away, and the bow stove. Had 
they remained on the yacht they would 
possibly have been saved. 

This yacht, one of the extreme skimming- 
dish type, had .safely weathered out one of 
the most terrific gales of that winter, and 
lived in a sea which was represented, by 
those out in it, to have been something 
tremendous. The life buoys and spare spars 
on her house were not lashed and were 
found undisturbed, showing that during 
her lonely drift not a sea had boarded her. 
This yacht was 61 feet, 4 inches over all; 
56 feet, 10 inches water line ; 20 feet, 5 inches 
beam; 5 feet, 2 inches deep, and 4 feet, 
2 inches draught of water. 

There is little to note of the yachting of 
1880; the usual regattas and cruises taking 
place without any marked incident, except, 
perhaps, that this year another attempt was 
made at a handicap race by the New York 
Yacht Club; Mr. Charles Minton, the sec- 
retary, offering a $250 cup. The thing was 
a success so far as the handicap was con- 
cerned, and it is evidently the best of all 
systems for allowance ; but the starters 
Avere feAv’, only three schooners and six 
sloops. 'I'he schooner Dauntless and sloop 
Mischief Avere the Avinners. 

I might also mention in passing that the 
first regatta of the Larchmont Yacht Club 
took place on July 5, 1880, its largest starter 
being the sloop Viva, 29 feet, 6 inches. As 
something of yachting importance I may say 
that the iron steam yachts Corsair and 
Stranger Avere launched at Philadelphia 
this year, the iron steam yacht Polynia Avas 
launched at Newbugh-on-the-Hudson, and 
the iron steam yacht Yosetmte at Chester, 
Pa. — an evidence of the groAving popularity 
of steam as a motive poA\er among the 
yachtsmen, and this has been apparent 
more and more ever since and Avill continue. 
It may confidently be asserted that no more 
large sailing yachts Avill be built ; but that 
all Avho can afford it Avill have steam. 

During the cruise of the NeAv York club 
this year, 1880, there A\*as a fine race at 
NeAV Bedford, the yachts of the Eastern 
and NeAV Bedford clubs taking part, seven 
schooners and eleven sloops starting. The 
New York yachts Crusader and Mischief 
and Regina captured three of the prizes, and 
the NeAv Bedford schooner Peerless — for- 
merly a NeAV York yacht — took the other. 
Yachtsmen in the fall of 1880 Avere a good 
deal fluttered by the rumor that the British 
cutter Vanduara Avas to come next season 
for the America's Cup. She was just then 
in the hey-day of her triumphs, and ranked 


THE JI I STORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


91 


as fastest in Great Britain, but has since 
been out-built and relegated to the second 
class. She did not come. Had she done 
so, I think she would have carried the cup 
back with her. We had very little respect 
for cutters in those days, and I presume 
would not have thought it worth while to 
have put anything better against her than 
the Grade, Mischief or Fanny, iii which 
case the Vanduara, on account of her extra 
size, would have had a sure thing. It was 
the golden opportunity missed that will not 
for a long time to come occur again. 

The Eastern Yacht Club was in 1880 
just ten years old, and it signalized the 
termination of its first decade by the pur- 
chase of a plot of ground on Marblehead 
Neck, and the erection thereon of a club 
house, which for many years was the finest 
yacht club house in the United States. It 
was a building seventy-five feet front, and 
three stories in height, furnished with all 
modern conveniences. It had on its roll 
in 1880, forty-three schooners, twenty-one 
sloops, four cutters and one yawl. Very 


She was afterwards rigged as a cutter. 
She was 49 feet over all ; 40 feet, 8 inches 
water line, 10 feet beam, 7 feet, 5 inches 
deep and 5 feet, 3 inches draught. 

At a meeting of the Seawanhaka Yacht 
Club held November 20, 1880, Mr. M. 
Roosevelt Schuyler, then the vice-commo- 
dore, reported that he had been out sailing 
in his cutter Yolande two days preyious, 
with three inches of snow on the deck. 
This was on the first introduction of the 
cutter, when its advocates thought it be- 
hooved them to show in all ways its superi- 
ority to all other types of boat. It probably 
never struck Vice-Commodore Schuyler 



’ “ STRANGER. 


many of the owners of the yachts, how- 
ever, were more prominently identified 
with the New York than with the Eastern 
club, and the four “ cutters ” were such 
only in name, as neither in rig, or in shape 
of hull, did they resemble such boats as the 
Bedouin, Wenonah or Muriel. The yawl, 
however, was the Edith, and was modeled 
by Ratsey, of England, and built in 1880 
by 1 ). J. Lawlor at East Boston, and was 
the first of the rig built in this country. 


that the owner of the shallowest of center- 
boards could have gone out in the bay 
sailing in a November snow storm if he 
had been silly enough to have desired to do 
so. Cutters were common enough after 
this, but I have not found that owners of 
them cared to keep them in commission 
any longer than it was comfortable to 
do so. 

It was in March, 1881, that we again heard 
of a challenge for the Anierica's Cup. It 


* Cutter “Stranger.” Owned by Mr. John N. McCauley, New Haven. 



92 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


came again from Canada, and was prompted 
solely by the desire of Captain Cuthbert, 
the builder of the schooner Countess of 
Dufferm^ for the advertisement and conse- 
quent increase of business which the noto- 
riety of building a challenging yacht would 
give. The schooner he had built had proved 
a failure, but he asserted he could build a 


that ensued, a writer in one of the New 
York weeklies incautiously suggested that 
the Bay of Quinte Yacht Club was hardly 
as important as the New York Yacht Club, 
and that the social position of the members 
of the latter was, perhaps, rather more ele- 
vated than that of the members of the chal- 
lenging club ; and he raised such a storm 





ORIVA. 


sloop which could beat any of the Ameri- 
can single stick vessels, and a schooner 
could not be put against her with any chance 
of success, because there was, in the New 
York Yacht Club rules, no allowance for 
difference of rig. 

The Royal Canadian Club had had enough 
of Captain Cuthbert, and of challenges for 
the America's Cup, but there was a spirited 
little club at Belleville, Ontario, with an 
attache of the local newspaper as its secre- 
tary, and its members were delighted with 
the prospect of being brought prominently 
into notice as the challenger for this cele- 
brated trophy ; so probably for the first time 
outside of Belleville, Ontario, the Bay of 
Quinte Yacht Club was heard of. In the 
course of the preliminary correspondence 

> Cutter “ Oriva.” Owned by 


of indignation in Belleville that he repented 
his incautious utterance in sackcloth and 
ashes. However, the Bay of Quinte Yacht 
Club at its annual meeting adopted a reso- 
lution to challenge for the cup, and named 
September as the month for the race, or 
races. 

At this time the flag officers of the New 
York Yacht Club were Com. John R. Wal- 
ler ; Vice-Corn. James D. Smith and Rear- 
Corn. Herman Oelrichs. These gentlemen 
had no doubt but that either of the sloops 
Grade., Mischief ox Hildegard would be fast 
enough to beat the new sloop building in Can- 
ada to compete for the cup; but with com- 
mendable spirit they resolved that if there 
was anything better in this country it ought 
to be at the disposition of the club. The 

Mr. C. Lee Smith, New York. 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICA YACHTING. 


93 


sloop Arrozv had, at that time, the best repu- 
^ tation for speed. She had been built in 1 874 
by Mr. David Kirby, of Rye, Westchester 
county, for Mr. Daniel Edgar, of the New 
York Yacht Club, and first appeared at the 
annual regatta of the club June 8, 1876, 
showing a wonderful turn of speed, and in 


ever saw the yacht until she was launched. 
They designedly refrained from all interfer- 
ence, and trusted to the builder of the Arrow 
to produce a sloop which should be, as he 
had promised, “swifter than the Arrow.” 

But the Grade had been altered and much 
improved, and the Mischief had been built 







(vvwi 


ATLANTIC. 


all subsequent matches she was easily fast- 
est of the lot. She had been sold to Mr, 
Ross Winans, of Baltimore, who did not 
belong to the club, and who, in 1881, was 
abroad. The first idea of the flag officers 
was to telegraph Mr. Winans and offer to 
purchase the Arrow, but her builder came 
to them’ and said he could build a better 
boat than the Arrow, and they at once gave 
him carte blanche to do so. The result was 
unfortunate, but it was no fault of the gen- 
tlemen interested, neither of whom, I believe. 


since the time of the Arrow’s triumphs, and 
both of these sloops were even then “ swifter 
than the Arrow,” and as was afterwards 
abundantly proven, much more speedy than 
the Arrow’s successor from the shipyard 
at Rye, 

May 26, the New York Yacht Club 
accepted the challenge of the Canadian club, 
assented to September as the time of the 
contest, thus waiving the six months’ 
notice and all other formalities, as it always 
has done. The name of the challenging 


' Sloop “Atlantic.” Owned by Messrs. L. A. Fish, J, R. Maxwell and N. D. Lawton, New York. (One of the “big four 
built to compete for the honor of representing America against the “ Galatea” in 1886.) 



94 


THE Jfl STORY OE AMERICAN YACHTING. 


sloop was the Atalanta, and according to 
the official certificate accompanying the 
challenge, she was about forty-five tons, 
and measured 70 feet, 1 inch over all ; 62 
feet, 10 inches on the water line, 19 feet 
beam, 6 feet, 10 inches deep. She drew 
5 feet, 6 inches aft, and 3 feet, 6 inches 
forward. In all respects, she was an 
American model, pure and simple. 

d’he prospect of the international race 
gave an impetus to yachting this year as it 
has always done, and the regular annual 
events were more generally attended than 
for the few preceding years, and the con- 
tests more spirited. 'I’here was, however, 
nothing occurring at either of them that 
calls for special mention. It is interesting 
to note that the Larchmont Yacht Club at 
the time of its second annual regatta on the 
Fourth of July had enrolled thirty-six 
yachts. 

After a pleasant correspondence, all the 
preliminaries for the race for the America s 
Cup, under the challenge of the Hay of 
Quinte Yacht Club, were amicably ar- 
ranged ; the Canadian club naming the 
sloop Atalanta, and the American com- 
mittee, Messrs. William Krebs, J. F. Tams 
and Robert Center, after consultation with 
the flag officers, assented to the request of 
the challenge, that only one yacht be 
named against the Atalanta. 

As to which sloop this should be, there 
was considerable controversy. We had 
four fast vessels of about the required size, 
viz. : the Grade, Mischief, Fanny, and Hil- 
degard,'eL\\Ci in addition to these, there was 
the new yacht building at Rye for the flag 
officers of the club, and to be called the 
Pocahontas. She was 71 feet, 6 inches on 
deck ; 65 feet water line ; 21 feet beam 
and 7 feet, 10 inches deep. Her center- 
board is 21 feet. It is not necessary to 
give the dimensions of her spars, except to 
say that they were found to be too taut 
and had to be reduced. The Pocahontas 
was a failure. She had a fine entrance, but 
was too heavy in her counters for fast sail- 
ing. 1 have always thought that if length- 
ened aft and fined down at that end, she 
would make a fast schooner. 

I note on August 16, 1881, the arrival of 
the steamer Devonia ; not a very remark- 
able circumstance considered alone, but 
the fact that she had upon her deck the 
little Scotch cutter Aladge, made her arri- 
val an important event in the history of 
American yachting ; for the result of the 
races sailed by her subsequently, did more 
to shake the faith of American yachtsmen 


in the superiority of the broad and shallow 
centerboard boat, than anything that had 
ever occurred. 

It matters not whether her victories were 
won fairly or unfairly ; they were won, and 
the American sloop was for the first time 
defeated, and no excuse could palliate 
that. 

This little craft was sent to this country 
by Mr. James Coates, the thread manufact- 
urer of Paisley, Scotland. She was built 
at Cowan, Scotland, by Watson, in 1879, 
and was 46 feet, i inch over all ; 38 feet, 
9 inches water line ; 7 feet, 9 inches beam ; 
7 feet, 6 inches deep, and 8 feet draught. 
In Great Britain she rated as a ten tonner, 
but by the New York club rule she meas- 
ured sixteen tons. Her skipper. Captain 
l)uncan,with a crew of two men, came over 
with the yacht, and her subsequent success 
was largely due to the admirable and skill- 
ful manner in which .she was handled. 

I shrewdly suspect that the advent of 
the cutter Aladge, and the races that were 
arranged for her after her arrival, were the 
result of the pre-arranged scheme on the 
part of some of the young gentlemen of 
the Seawanhaka club, who not only believed 
the British cutter to be superior to all other 
types of yacht, but were extremely impa- 
tient because everybody else did not think 
so. So they selected this little yacht, which 
had won many races in England, and then 
arranged some races for her under the 
Seaw’anhaka rule of measurement, by which 
she was sure to win. 

In justice to the Aladge, I may say that 
she did not need the allowance at all, under 
the circumstances ; but the intention of 
these gentlemen was none the less worthy 
of remark. In furtherance of this scheme, 
three races were arranged for her with the 
sloops Schemer and Wave. I have never 
had the least doubt, but that either of these 
yachts, if in perfect racing condition, could 
have beaten the Aladge; but when the 
races were sailed, the season was near its 
end, the sails were fitting illy, and so little 
was thought of the chances of the Aladge 
that not the least care was taken to put the 
American boats in racing order. At the 
first race, the American yacht had a bor- 
rowed topsail, which set “ like a purser’s 
shirt on a handspike,” to use the forecastle 
expression, and the expert in charge of her 
said, when his attention was called to this, 
“ Oh, it will do well enough, anything will 
beat that thing”; wdth a contemptuous 
gesture toward the Aladge, which was lying 
at anchor w'ith one of the most perfectly 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


95 


fitting suits of canvas I ever looked at. 
Previous to the races, whenever the Madge 
encountered one of the American sloops, 
the canny Scotchman in charge . of her 
allowed her to be easily beaten, and it was 



had gone home, and the owner of the 
Madge was too shrewd to allow her to sail 
without him. 

She has never done much since that 
time, but it cannot be denied that she “got 
her fine work in ” very effectively during 
this first season, and established the cutter 
model in this country on a firm foundation, 
modifying and improving the American 
centerboard model, the result being a yacht 
like the Puritan, with the depth, the out- 
side ballast, and in part, the rig of the cut- 
ter, retaining still the advantage of beam 
and centerboard. 

The Canadian sloop Atalanta was 
launched at Belleville, Ontario, September 
14, 1881, and by a curious coincidence, she 
and the Pocahontas had their first trial on 
the same day, October 5, 
the Pocahontas having a 
trial with the Hildegard 
and being beaten by her, 
and the Atalanta a spin 
with the Norah at Belle- 
ville, and beat her with 
ease. 

The Canadian sloop 
could not be gotten ready 
in time for the race for the 
cup, and the request of the 




’ “ PRISCILLA.” 


not until the first match began, that any of 
us had ever seen her sail. 

That she was a smart little craft is un- 
deniable, and she was splendidly sailed, 
d'he owners of the Schaner and IVave went 
to much expense to fit their yachts for an- 
other race next season, but Captain Duncan 


Canadians for an extension of time was 
cheerfully granted by the New York club, 
and meanwhile a series of trial races was 
arranged, the entries for which were the 
Grade, Mischief, Hildegard and Pocahontas, 
but the Hildegard withdrew after one trial. 
The choice very soon narrowed down to the 


' Sloop “Priscilla.” Owned by Mr. A. Cass Canfield, New York. (One of the “big four.”) 


96 


TIN'. J// STORY OF AMFR/CAN VAC7/T/NG. 


Grade and tlie Mischief, and the latter was 
finally chosen. 

'The Canadian sloop finally arrived, via 
the canals, October 30, and the tw(.) races 
with the Mischief were sailed November 9 
ovei the course of the club, the Canadian 
beiiiij beaten 28in. 30^ s., and November 
10, over a course outside the Hook, the 
Alischief aj^jain winninj^ by 28m. 54s. 

'The irre])ressible Captain Cuthbert at 
once announced his intention of laying his 
sloop up in this harbor, and renewing the 
challenge the next season, and to protect 
itself against this threatened annual Cana- 
dian inlliction, the New York Yacht Club 
was obliged to insist upon such a change 
in the deed of gift of the America's Cup 
as would prevent this. It therefore returned 
the cup to Mr. Ceorge I.. Schuyler, the 
only surviving donor of it, and received it 
back from that gentleman with a clause 
providing that a defeated yacht should not 
be again eligible as a challenger until two 
years had intervened from the time of the 
first contest. At the first meeting of the 
New York Yacht Club in 1882, a proposi- 
tion was made amf afterwards adopted, to 
do away with the club uniform, a decided 
improvement, and at this meeting also, Mr. 
Ogden Goelet, the owner of the fine keel 
schooner Norseman, advised the club of his 
intention to present two cups, one of $1,000 
for schooners, and one of $500 for sloops, 
to be raced for off Newport during the 
annual cruise of the club. Mr. Coelet 
repeated his liberal donation each year for 
some years, and the Goelet Cup race 
became finally the most important event of 
the yachting season. Newport being half- 
way ’twixt Boston and New York, the race 
for these cups was always participated in 
by more or less Eastern yachts, the famous 
sloop Puritan scoring here her first 
victory. 

'The Seawanhaka Yacht Club, at a meet- 
ing held March 2, tacked on Corinthian to 
its beautiful Indian name, and was weighted 
down with it for several years. The idea 
was, as stated by the advocate of the 
change, that this club, having been the first 
to introduce Corinthian yachting, ought to 
have something in its name to call attention 
to the fact ; that so many clubs were now 
; >|)ting the Corinthian system, the glory 
( 'ts introduction would be lost to the 
f .vanhakas if they did not in some way 
1 jl themselves as “the only true and 
' 'ual Jacobs.’’ It was a snobbish reason 
1 ugly suffix, and it weighted the club 
terribly, at one time nearly carrying 


it under entirely. 1 may mention also that 
the Seawanhaka club about this time 
changed its rule of measurement, adopting 
the “ sail area and length ’’ rule, which, 
although not as favorable to the cutter as 
the old rule, was still very much in favor 
of this type of yacht. 

It was in 1882 that the British cutter 
Maggie was imported, having been brought 
over as the Madge was, on the deck of a 
steamer. She was a fifteen tonner, and of 
her Jicir s JJfe said : “ We are free to con- 
fess that she is the best fifteen tonner which 
has ever carried a racing flag in this 
country.” The Maggie, however, has not 
done much here, having been repeatedly 
beaten by centerboard sloops. In fact, 
there has never been a square race between 
the cutter and the sloop, but what the sloop 
was proved the victor. In extremely light 
weather the cutter has generally been able 
to win, but in strong breeze with smooth 
water the sloop has always come off con- 
queror. It was in this year that the cutters 
Bedouin and JYenonah were built at Brook- 
lyn by Henry Piepgras, and taking all 
things into consideration, the Jiedouin has 
been a most successful yacht. 

The usual regattas and cruises of the 
clubs took place this year, but there was 
nothing in connection with them at all 
noteworthy except that the New York 
Yacht Club on its cruise went around Cape 
Cod, and sailed a race at Marblehead ; and 
at its close the centerboard sloop Vixen 
had a match with Mr. Warren’s imported 
Maggie, and beat her very decidedly. 

As an appropriate wind-up to the season, 
the Seawanhaka Corinthian club organized 
a series of sloop and cutter race.s, making 
two of the .series outside the Hook, and in 
the full belief that under such conditions 
the cutters Bedouin, JVenonah, and Oriva 
must win. They were much disappointed 
at the result, having been in favor of the 
centerboards, the Grade, Valkyr and 
Fanita carrying off the honors. I note 
April 7, 1883, the launch of !Mr. Jay 
Gould’s steam yacht Atalanta, from the 
yard of the Messrs. Cramp, at Philadelphia, 
by all odds the finest yacht ever built in 
this country. 

At the May meeting of the Eastern 
Yacht Club, Air. Jay Gould, the owner of 
the Atalanta, was proposed for member- 
ship and rejected, and there is every reason 
to believe that the only reason his name 
was not proposed in the New York Yacht 
Club was, that it was quite certain that if 
proposed he would be rejected there also. 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICA iV YACHTING. 


97 


'This reminds me very much of the little 
jjirl of the story book, who refused to eat 
her breakfast, just to spite her mother. 
Any yacht club ought to have been proud 
to have enrolled so splendid a yacht as the 
Ata/antHy or for the matter of that, a man 
as influential as Mr. Jay Gould. From 
this action of the Eastern club and the 
probable action of the New York Yacht 
Club, resulted the organization of the 
American Yacht Club, to consist principally 
of owners of steam yachts, and to which, 
in time, all owners of steam yachts must 
inevitably be attracted. I think that who- 
ever in the year 1900 shall continue the 
history of American yachting, will speak 
of the American, as the principal yachting 
organization of the United States. 

There were two schooner yachts launched 
in the early part of the year 1883, which 
became very prominent afterwards. The 
one was the keel schooner Fortuna., built 
by the Poillons at Brooklyn, for Commo- 
dore Henry S. Hovey of the Eastern club, 
from a design by A. Cary Smith, and the 
other the centerboard schooner Grayling, 
built by the same firm for Mr. Latham A. 
Fish of the Atlantic club, from a design 
by Mr. Philip Ellsworth. Soon after going 
into commission, the Grayling was struck 
by a squall while sailing in the lower bay, 
and capsized and sank. She was raised 
and refitted ; the principal result of the 
accident being to bring into prominence 
the indomitable pluck and perseverance 
of her owner, who in eighteen days from 
the time she sank, had her ready to start 
in the Decoration Day’s sail of the club. 

In the earlier days of yachting in this 
country, as I have shown, the sloop Julia 
figured as fastest in the fleet. She had 
been sold to an eastern man and rigged as 
a schooner. In the early part of 1883 Mr. 
Edward M. Brown, then Rear-Commodore 
of the New York Yacht Club, purchased 
the Julia and had her rigged as near as 
possible as she was in the time of her early 
triumphs ; many of the older yachtsmen 
believing that no improvement in model 
had been made in the quarter of a century 
that passed since the Julia was built, and 
that the old yacht in her old form would 
beat any and all of the modern productions. 
They were mistaken, just as the people are 
nowadays who think that the old America 
is as fast as the modern schooner. The 
fact is, that we have constantly improved 
both in model and in rig. 

It was also in the early part of this year, 
1883, that the cutter Marjorie, since so 


celebrated, was launched at Greenock, and 
it was rumored that she was to come here 
for the America’s Cup. In the light of sub- 
sequent history, I think that there is good 
reason for saying that if she had then 
come, she would have carried it home with 
her. We had not much opinion of the 
speed of cutters at that time, and I don’t 
think, after the experience of the Folalion- 
tas, that anything would have been pro- 
vided to sail against the Marjorie except 
either the Mischief, Grade, < or Fanny. 

The clubs, as usual, had their annual 
regattas, only notable from the fact that 
this year, the New York Yacht Club once 
more changed its system of measurement 
for time allowance from the cubical con- 
tents rule to that of sail area and length. 
It was not that the old rule had not proved 
satisfactory, for it had ; but it was felt to 
be desirable to adopt some rule more favor- 
able to the cutter, so that this style of boat 
could be induced to enter in the sloop 
class, and to prevent the necessity of hav- 
ing a special class for them. There were now 
the Bedoum, the Wenonyih, the Oriva, the 
M Uriel, and others in the club, and there was 
desire on the part of the club members to 
give them a chance. The rule is acknowl- 
edged to be an unfair one for the sloop, 
and I presume would have been changed, 
but for the fact that under it, two chal- 
lenges from cutters have been accepted, 
and it could not consistently be changed 
until these races were sailed. 

The other notable event in connection 
with the annual race, was the sailing of the 
Atlantic Yacht Club regatta in a thick fog, 
and the colliding of the Committee steamer 
with one of the Norfolk steamers as she 
was returning from the lightship. Fortu- 
nately no one was injured on either steamer, 
although both vessels were much damaged. 

The fleet of the New York Yacht Club, 
on its annual cruise this year, went by invi- 
tation of the Eastern Yacht Club to Mar- 
blehead, and sailed a race there. Mr. 
James D. Smith was the commodore at this 
time, and so popular was he, that he car- 
ried a fleet of fourteen schooners and ten 
sloops around Cape Cod. The club had 
also the tug Luckenbach under charter, and 
had her accompany the yachts in order to 
render prompt assistance, should it from 
any cause be required. 

The regatta at Marblehead was sailed 
August 10, and the number of starters was 
not very large. It included but four first- 
class and five second-class schooners, and 
four first-class and three second-class 


98 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


sloops. The cutter Wenoiiah at this race 
beat the sloop Mischief over a minute, a 
pretty correct indication of what would 
have happened had the Marjorie come 
that year for the America's Cup, 

As showing the progress of yachting in 
this country, I may mention the fact that 
on August 1 8, the Beverly Yacht Club had 
a regatta at Marblehead in which there act- 
ually started 17 1 yachts. The largest was 
the cutter Wenonah, of 66 feet mean length, 
and the smallest the cat-boat Faith, 14 feet, 
8 inches. October. 16, of this year, the 
Seawanhaka Yacht Club had a fall race, the 
first of a series of three contests that it had 
arranged for sloops and cutters. Only the 
cutter Bedouin and the sloop Grade started, 
the wind was strong and the sea heavy, 
and of course the cutter won as she liked. 

Early in the season, a match had been 
made between the sloop Grade and the 
cutter Bedouin to race in October, outside 
the Hook, for $1,000, and this race was 
sailed October 18. There was not much 
wind, but there was a heavy roll, as a result 
of the strong breeze of the previous day. 
The cutter beat the Grade 15m. 5s. on cor- 
rected time. The sloop, however, had her 
innings two days later in a race outside 
with a smooth sea and a strong lower-sail 
breeze, when she beat the cutter with ease. 
This was quite a season for match races, 
and on October 25, the sloop Fanny de- 
feated the Grade in a match for $1,000, 
outside the Hook. Neither yacht was 
suited to ocean racing, but the wind was 
moderate and sea smooth, so both came off 
without accident, and this closed the racing 
of the season of 1883. 

I find nothing of note in 1884 until June 
14, when the Seawanhaka club had its 
annual Corinthian regatta in a moderate 
gale, and of its eight starters, only three — 
the Grade, Orivadoad. Petrel — finished, the 
result showing conclusively that in heavy 
weather the centerboard yacht has no busi- 
ness outside of Sandy Hook. Just then, 
the cutter and sloop controversy was raging 
fiercely, and the result of this match made 
the cutter advocates jubilant. 

Yachting in the New England States 
continued to increase more rapidly than in 
any other section, and a muster roll of the 
Boston Yacht Club for this year shows 
twenty-four schooners, thirty-two cabin 
sloops, ten cat-rigged boats, six cutters, 
eleven steamers and a catamaran. Most of 
these were distinctively Boston club boats, 
and did not, as was the case notably with 
the Eastern club, owe prime allegiance to 


another organization. Among the steamers 
was Jay Gould’s Atalanta, and among the 
schooners, the old America. 

There was a race around Long Island 
during the season of 1884, but, as has been 
the case with all races over long courses, 
the result was unsatisfactory. The element 
of chance enters too largely into the result. 
In this case, although the Grayling, unde- 
niably the fastest schooner, won, her vic- 
tory was due to good luck and skilful hand- 
ling during the last twelve hours of the 
contest. There were six schooners, five 
sloops and three cutters. The cutters were 
badly beaten, and sloop stock was once more 
buoyant. 

In July of 1884, Mr, William Astor’s 
steam yacht Nourmahal was completed at 
the yard of the Harlan & Hollingsworth 
company, after nearly a year spent in her 
construction. She is 250 feet long, and the 
finest yacht in the country, except, perhaps, 
Mr. Gould’s Atalanta. 

In August, 1884, the American Yacht 
Club had its first steam yacht race, over the 
course from Larchmont to the entrance of 
New London harbor, a distance of about 
ninety-two miles. Of course the arrange- 
ments were far from perfect, the thing 
being almost in the nature of an experiment; 
but it was proven that races of steam yachts 
could be satisfactorily arranged, and with 
better results the race has been repeated 
each year since that time. 

The Seawanhaka club had its usual fall 
match for sloops and cutters this year on 
October 18, and for the cutter advocates 
it proved very successful. Out of a lot of 
fourteen starters, not a sloop showed up at 
the finish line. The only ones which fin- 
ished were five cutters. The race was 
sailed in a howling nor’wester, and the 
sloops could not stand the press. 

In December of 1884, we learned that 
the owners of the cutters Genesta and 
Galatea were about to challenge for the 
America's Cup, and immediately all was 
excitement, not only among yachting men, 
but among the general public. In fact, I 
think there was more interest taken in the 
affair by persons outside of the New York 
club than by its members. 

One and all recognized that these were 
challenges from very different yachts from 
the Countess of Dujferin or Atalanta. We 
had come gradually to have much more 
respect for the cutter model than at first. 
The Bedouin had shown herself quite 
as good as the Grade, the Oriva had 
proved herself better than the Vixen. The 


THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


99 


record of the Genesta was familiar to all 
American yachtsmen, and the new yacht 
building was presumably better than the 
Genesta. So with wonderful unanimity 
yachting men agreed that if the cup was 
retained it must be by a yacht yet to be 
built, for neither of our four fastest sloops 
could hope to retain it. 

Mr. James Gordon Bennett was the com- 
modore, and Mr. W. P. Douglass the vice- 
commodore of the New York club, and 
they at once resolved to build a yacht 
about the size of the Genesta., and after 
careful consideration they accepted the 
design of Mr. A. Cary Smith for an iron 
sloop, and gave the Harlan & Hollings- 
worth company the contract to build her. 
Commodore Bennett at one time resolved 
that he would have in addition a wooden 
yacht from a design by Capt. Philip Ells- 
worth, but finally relinquished this and 
concluded to trust the defense of the cup 
to the Priscilla, as the new yacht was to 
be named. 

Meantime plans for yachts to defend the 
cup poured into the New York Yacht Club 
rooms at the rate of one or two a day, and 
we never before fully realized how much 
of architectural talent we had. Many of 
these plans were meritorious, and many 
more bore the impress of the brains of 
cranks.” 

Meanwhile, several gentlemen, members 
of the Eastern Yacht Club and also of the 
New York ; men of great practical experi- 
ence in yachting, and also men of more 
than ordinary intelligence, had pondered 
and agreed upon a design for a center- 
board yacht that should combine all the 
advantages of the cutter’s model and rig, 
with the best features of the American 
model and rig. The result of this com- 
bination of brain and practical experience, 
is the sloop yacht Puritan. 

Her design is credited to Mr. Edward 
Burgess, of Boston, but I consider him as 
but one of four to whom the credit should 
be given. The Puritan has been called 
“a happy accident,” but in point of fact 
there was nothing accidental about her. 
From stem to stern, from keel to truck, 
all things about her were closely calculated. 
She has the keel and outside lead of the 
cutter, and the centerboard of the sloop. 
She has the short mast and long top- 
mast of the cutter, the straight round 
bowsprit of the cutter (and if she could 
have had it fitted to house as the cutters 
do it would have been an improvement) 
and on this her jib sets flying, as in the 


cutter. Her mainsail is laced to the boom 
as in the sloop, and in this respect the 
cutter people are copying her fashion. 

This yacht was of wood, and was built 
by G. Lawley & Sons, at Boston, and 
proved superior to any yacht ever built in 
this country, not only for speed, but for 
sea-going qualities. She proved herself 
able to beat the Genesta in ordinary' racing 
weather, and in real bad weather, 1 have 
no doubt, her superiority would be still 
more apparent. / 

The yacht built for the flag officers of 
the New York Yacht Club proved also 
extremely fast. But for the advent of the 
Puritan she would have been considered a 
marvel. Tried with the Puritan, however, 
in a race off Newport for the Goelet Cup, 
in very ugly weather, the superiority of the 
Boston sloop was so plainly apparent, that 
it was evident to all that she must be the 
chosen yacht. Some changes were made 
in the Priscilla, and a series of trial races 
was sailed here, the result being the choice 
of the Puritan to sail against the Genesta. 

I may not dwell on the details of those 
races, and it is not necessary, for they 
must be fresh in the minds of most of my 
readers. The series of races arranged, 
consisted of one contest over the course of 
the New York Yacht Club, one twenty miles 
to windward and return outside the Hook, 
and one over a forty-mile triangle outside. 
As was the case with the two previous cup 
contests, only two races were necessary ; 
one over the inside course sailed Septem- 
ber 14, 1885, resulting in a victory for the 
Puritan of i6m. 19s. corrected time ; and 
one sailed September 16, over a course 
twenty miles east-southeast from the Scot- 
land Lightship and return, won by the 
Puritan by im. 38s. corrected time. The 
races demonstrated that the Genesta was 
an exceptionally fast vessel and could prob- 
ably have beaten any other sloop in the 
country save the Puritan. 

September 18, she started again in a 
race for a $1,000 cup offered by Vice- 
Commodore Douglass, over a forty-mile 
triangle outside, and she beat the Grade 
2im. 52s. Races had been arranged for 
the Brenton’s Reef and Cape May challenge 
cups, and for these the only yacht which 
started against the Genesta was the schooner 
Dauntless. The result was a foregone 
conclusion from the start, and in fact the 
intent of the club members was to allow the 
Genesta to take these cups to England : 
First, because they had proved nuisances 
here, and second, because they wished to 






loo THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 


have something to go to England for, if 
any owner should so desire. This finished 
the career of the Genesta in this country, 
and she left for England, October 8. 

This also closes the yachting for 1885, 
and with this I will end this history of 
American yachting. I should have been 


glad to have made it more full and com- 
plete, but have been obliged to omit men- 
tion of all except the most important 
events. I have intended to make it as 
much as possible a record, as well as to 
show the well-nigh marvelous growth of the 
sport in the short space of forty-one years. 









THE MAYFLOWER AND GALATEA 
RACES OF 1886. 





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THE MAYFLOWER AND GALATEA RACES OF 1886. 


BY CHARLES E. CLAY, 

Author of “ Bermuda Yachts and Dinghies,” etc. 


English yachtsmen have made another 
effort for the recovery of the America s Cup, 
a trophy that has come to be regarded as 
the emblem of the supremacy of the seas, 
and that effort has met with a defeat more 
disastrous and humiliating than that which 
attended the unsuccessful attempt of the 
Genesta last year. 

Scarcely had Sir Richard Sutton berthed 
his favorite in her snug winter quarters 
than Lieutenant Henn challenged for the 
ensuing year. In this he was more patri- 
otic than wise, for, while nobody denies 
that the Galatea is a thoroughly represent- 
ative type of the highest development and 
perfection of the English model, yet it 
cannot be conceded that her performances 
were enough, if any, superior to those of 
the Genesta to warrant her owner having 
any valid grounds for supposing his boat 
could do what her sister had failed to 
achieve. 

If Lieutenant Henn felt enthusiastic 
enough to enter into a competition that for 
the past thirty-six years has baffled the 
highest naval architectural talent of Great 
Britain, would it not have been more 
prudent to have set to work during the 
winter and built a yacht more after the 
type and model of the one that had van- 
quished the Genesta, built by the same 
designer, and embodying every principle 
contained in his own boat ? Surely Mr. 
Beavor Webb is not so hopelessly wedded 
to his own designs and ideas as not to 
perceive and appreciate the good points 
and qualities in the productions of a rival, 
and a successful one at that. If the results 
of the last two years’ contests point to any 
conclusion at all, it is that the decided 
success of the American boat is not due, 
one iota, to the favorable condition of 
wind and wave, as is the universal howl of 
the rabid cutter men, but is inherent in the 
superiority of the principles involved in 
the construction of the model, and I con- 
tend most emphatically that so long as 
English yachtsmen go on building a V- 
shaped, leaded plank-on-end type of boat, 
simply because “ they are so much better 
adapted for our waters,” without ever 
giving the American type a fair trial, just 


so long will America continue to hold the 
yachting “blue ribbon.” It is not e^nough 
for Englishmen to send one boat after 
another of the same type, just because each 
successive aspirant is claimed to be better 
than her predecessor. Change and modify 
the model from the bitter lessons that have 
been taught us, and then, and not till then, 
may we hope to compete with some reason- 
able prospects of victory. 

The general supposition among us in 
England to-day is that, given a gale of 
wind and a heavy, choppy sea, and there 
is nothing like a deep-keeled cutter with 
an enormous weight of lead attached, to 
thrash to windward. This may be undoubt- 
edly the case with regard to the types of 
boats with which the majority are familiar; 
but it does not apply to the newest type 
of the American centerboard sloop, a type 
not known in British waters, nor to Eng- 
lish yachtsmen ; and recent trials and the 
most thorough tests go to prove that the 
Mayflower in a sea way is superior in many 
of the most essential qualities of a rough- 
weather craft ; she does not bury and 
^^hang” so long when pitching as the 
English model ; she has a quicker recovery 
and rides over and not through the sea ; 
she points up as high, and eats her way 
as well to windward, besides being faster. 

But I am afraid I have digressed some- 
what from the object of this paper, which 
is to give a description of the actual inci- 
dents of the all-absorbing races, rather than 
a dissertation on the types and merits of 
the contestants. 

No sooner was the challenge received 
than the leading clubs of the country set 
about seeing that nothing was left undone 
to retain a prize they had so long and so 
successfully owned. They might very 
naturally have said : “Well, the Galatea is 
no better than the Genesta; and the Puritati 
can do for the new-comer what she did for 
her sister.” But that is not the spirit of 
the American people ; they never rest con- 
tent with what they have ; the future is 
always sure to produce a better article than 
the best of the present. This noble spirit 
of emulation brought four competitors into 
the home lists ; of them two were old 

T03 


104 


THE MAYFLOWER AND GALATEA RACES OE 1886. 


favorites ; the Puritan, trusty, stanch, and 
bearing the laurels still fresh upon her 
\'ictorious prow ; the Priscilla, with every 
defect altered, but still a novice eager to 
gain her maiden honors ; the remaining 
debutantes were the latest skill of the 
builder’s art ; the Atlantic, which, however, 
never fulfilled the anticipations of her 
designer, and the queenly Mayflower, the 
fairest sea anemone that ever bloomed on 
American waters. All honor,then,to Boston, 
her birthplace, and to Mr. Burgess, her 
skilful designer. 

The trial races were most satisfactory, 
and proved beyond a doubt that the 
Mayflower wzs the queen of the “big four,” 


fairness could dictate, was handsomely 
made. 

The first of the three courses to be sailed 
over (if three trials became necessary), 
was the one known as the regular New 
York club course, which, starting from a 
line off Owl’s Head in the inner bay, leads 
out through the Narrows, rounding buoy 
Zyz on the port hand, and then on and 
around Sandy Hook lightship, and home 
again round buoy 8^, finishing off the 
Staten Island shore over a line some- 
what to the northward of Fort Wadsworth. 
This makes a splendid all-round course 
of thirty-eight miles, and is eminently cal- 
culated to try the various points of sailing 



and to her shapely hull and tapering spars 
might be entrusted the glorious distinction 
of doing battle for her country, let come 
what might. To the New York Yacht 
Club, the oldest and leading yachting or- 
ganization in this country, was entrusted 
the honor of making the arrangements 
necessary to bring the impending struggle 
to a fair and impartial issue, and well did 
they perform their task. The gallant 
visitor was consulted on every point, 
and every concession that courtesy and 


on, off, and before the wind. Over this 
course the sloop is supposed to have a slight 
advantage, as comparatively smooth water 
and light winds are generally the rule on 
these waters. 

The second and “outside course,” as it 
is called, is a twenty-mile thrash to wind- 
ward from the Sandy Hook or Scotland 
Lightship, according to the direction of the 
wind, with a run back. These conditions 
are favorable to the cutter, and chosen to 
make things square. Should each boat win 


’ From Captain CofTin’s account in the Nm' York li'or/a. 


THE MAYFLOWER AND GALATEA RACES OF 1886. 


105 


one of the first two races, the deciding 
course would be a triangular one, but as it 
was not needed this year, the bearings need 
not be given. 

THE FIRST RACE, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7. 

The all eventful expectata dies, so eagerly 
longed for by enthusiastic thousands, 
dawned with anything but a promise of 
fine weather or favoring gales. A dull 
leaden curtain hung over the busy city. 
Flags drooped limp and motionless against 


certainly the fastest of its size. Our 
courtly host lost no time in welcoming us on 
board the launch ; we were speedily puffed 
out to the larger craft, and in a few min- 
utes more good Captain Band was heading 
the Stranger full steam down stream, 

“To join the glad throng that went laughing along.” 

We did not lack for company; every /con- 
ceivable craft was bound our way, front the 
leviathan excursion steamers with decks 
massed black with people, tp the tiny skiff 



their poles, and with a heart full of misgiv- 
ing I awaited the arrival of the Stranger at 
the Twenty-third street pier. Off in the 
stream lay the steam yacht Electra, while 
darting backwards and forwards her saucy 
little launch conveyed on board the guests 
of her owner, Elbridge T. Gerry, the com- 
modore of the New York Yacht Club. 

Soon, down the river from Mr. Jaffray’s 
country plate on the Hudson, came the 
Stranger, not only one of the handsomest 
and largest steam yachts in the world, but 


piloted by its solitary occupant. And now 
we are amid the flower of America’s float- 
ing palaces, and close beside us steams the 
Atalanta. Beyond is the Corsair, with Lord 
Brassey aboard. Ahead, astern, and on 
every side are seen the gleaming hulls of 
beautiful yachts, the Oriva, Orienta, Ttlhe, 
Puzzle, Radha, Magnolia, Vision, Speedwell, 
Ocean Gem, Theresa, Oneida, better known 
as the Utowana, Viking, Wanda, Nooya, 
Falcon, Electra, Vedette, 


‘Cum multis aliis quae nunc praescribere longum est. 
’ From Captain Coffin’s account in the New York World, 


io6 


THE MAYFLOWER AND GALATEA RACES OF 1886. 


The flyers of other days, too, are there, 
the Rambler, Columbia, Ambassadress, Tidal 
Wave, Montauk, Ruth, Priscilla, Dauntless, 
Carlotta, Fleetwing, Mischief, Republic, 
Wanderer, Wai'e Crest, Gaviota and a host 
of their fair sisters, whose names I could 
not get. And darting hither and thither 
among the fleet like some hissing, fiery 
snake, emitting from time to time the 
shrillest of piercing whistles, rushed the 
rakish-looking little steam launch Henrietta, 
Mr. Herreshoff’s la.st production, said to 
go an average speed of twenty 
knots an hour. 

Anxiously we scanned the dis- 
tant Narrows to see if there was 
any sign of a coming breeze, 
and as if in answer to the silent 
ejaculations of the assembled 
multitude, a dark ripple was 
seen to ruffle the glassy surface 
of the bay, and gave promise of 
a breeze outside. 

It was now ten o’clock, and 
the rivals were daintily picking 
their way in and out among the 
waiting armada, manoeuvring to 
get a good start as the whistle 
bade 'them cross the line. 

At the warning scream the 
Mayflower stood bravely for the 


This was a very smart and seamanlike 
manoeuvre, but in my humble opinion it 
was an error in judgment, for, had the cut- 
ter taken the leeward place, with her pace 
at the time, she could have stood the detri- 
ment of the blanketing for the short time 
they held the starboard tack, and when she 
went about, would have compelled the 
sloop to do the same, and so had the May- 
flower under her lee for the long leg over 
to Staten Island. 

However, the fact remains that, despite the 



B6 


* GALATEA. 


line, carrying her boom to port with club- 
topsail, staysail and jib set, and breaking 
out her jib-topsail as she crossed. O! it 
was a beautiful sight, and made every 
pulse beat quicker, and sent the warm 
blood tingling through my veins. The 
British cutter was not a whit behind ; 
“ hauling to ” very sharply, she rushed, with 
great headway, in between the sloop and 
the stake boat, and got the weather gauge, 
blanketing her antagonist, who had to keep 
off a trifle in consequence. 


Galatea's blanketing, the Boston sloop ran 
away from under the Englishman’s lee, and 
when the latter, owing to her deeper 
draught, went about off Bay Ridge, the 
Mayflower stood on for another thirty 
seconds and came about well to windward, 
and had the cutter where she wanted her, 
and where she kept her till she was a 
beaten boat. 

Off Fort Wadsworth, the two boats again 
tacked, the Mayflcni'er at ii: 13:30, and the 
the cutter a minute later, and stood across 


THE MAYFLOWER AND GALATEA RACES OF 1886. 


107 


to Fort Hamilton. Two things now quickly 
became apparent: that the Mayflower, 
though sailed a good rap full all the time, 
pointed just as high as the Galatea, which 
was evidently being sailed very fine, as 
shown by the continual lifting and shiver- 
ing of her head sails, and, that the saucy 
Yankee had the heels of her English 
rival and was creeping ahead and to wind- 
ward very fast, At 11.22, the Mayflower 


and showed a want of courtesy that no real 
“salt ” would have thought of being guilty 
of. At 11.35 the Mayflower went about 
off Gravesend Bay, and the Galatea fol- 
lowed suit at the same moment, a little to 
the southeast of buoy No. 15. In these 
repeated tackings, it was noticeable that 
the Galatea was the handier “ in stays,” the 
American craft appearing just a trifle slug- 
gish. On entering the Narrows the breeze 
seems to be freshening up a 
little, and the . Yankee boat 
bends gracefully over to it, 
and the white spray dancing 
round her bows shows that she 
is quickening her pace. The 
Galatea stands up straighter, 
and is slipping through the 
water without much fuss, but 
does not seem to" be gaining 
much on her fleet-winged rival. 
Off buoy 13 the Mayflower 
went “ in stays ” again at 
11.41^4 and stood towards 



MAYFLOWER. 


went about again, and stood on a long 
reach into the Narrows to get the benefit 
of the slack water. Ten minutes later the 
Galatea tacked and stood towards the Staten 
Island shore, but the Mayflower had gone 
about again and stood towards the English- 
man, whom she cut about 200 yards dead to 
windward. While the Galatea was on this 
tack, the St John, the regular Long Branch 
steamer, had the bad taste to sail right 
across the Galatea's bow, treating her to 
all her backwater. It was a churlish act, 


Coney Island Point, and six minutes later 
she was followed by the cutter. The sloop 
made but a short leg here, and at 1 1.50 she 
went about again, bringing both boats on 
the same tack, heading about east. The 
sloop seems to have doubled her vantage 
of 200 yards. They seem to be sailing 
the cutter a bit fuller now, but as we pass 
astern of her I notice that she has her 
weather jib-topsail sheet towing in the 
water On this board the cutter appears to 
gain slightly on the sloop, and at half a 


io8 


THE MAYFLOWER AND GALATEA RACES OF 1886. 


minute before noon she goes about once 
more ; the Mayflower follows her lead at 
12.03^, and goes round between buoys 9 
and II. The recital of tacks seems endless, 
but on each board the American boat in- 
creased her lead, and finally rounded buoy 
8}4 at 1:1:51, official time. The Galatea 
\veathered the same buoy at 1:7:7. From 



THE “aMEKICa’s^’ CUP. 


here to buoy 5 the positions of the contest- 
ants did not vary much, and the Mayflower 
led her antagonist by about six minutes, irre- 
spective of the 38 seconds time allowance 
she had to give the cutter. The wind con- 
tinues light, and the sea is as smooth as a 
tennis court. Rounding buoy 8^ both 


boats can about lie the course to the light- 
ship, which bears S.E. by E. The breeze 
seems a good deal fresher outside, and the 
Mayflojver is dancing gaily along, lying 
over to her plank-shear. How gloriously 
buoyant is her motion as she rises and 
falls to the gentle undulations which make 
up as we gain the open water! This is the 
longest reach of the day, and gives us all 
a breathing spell for refreshments. 

At 2.28 the sloop comes “ in stays,” and 
takes in her jib-topsail as she stands towards 
the ugly-looking red hulk that shows the 
way into the channel. Her crew are busy 
getting her balloon jib-topsail run up “in 
stops,” and soon a white streak running 
from truck to bowsprit end appears. The 
floating navy that has accompanied us all 
the way are gathered thickly round the 
lightship, hovering like bees about a sugar 
barrel; and now, as the swiftly gliding sloop 
approaches the turning-point, their pent-up 
enthusiasm can be restrained no longer, 
first one and then another impatient tug 
and steamer emits her shrill scream of 
welcome, and then all at once it seems as 
if every demon from the nether world is 
let loose, roaring round the Mayflower. 
The toot-toot-tooting is simply ear-split- 
ting. Cannon thunder forth their appro- 
bation from brazen throats ; frantic crowds 
bellow themselves hoarse ; the very planks 
beneath my feet seem starting from the 
seams of the Stranger as her booming 
cannon, withheld by rigid discipline till 
the exact moment of rounding, belches 
forth her quota to the hurly-burly around 
us. 

But see ! it is scarce five seconds since 
the Mayflower turned her sharp prow to 
plow homewards, when lo I a white puff 
of snowy canvas bursts like the smoke 
from a distant battery, and bellying to a 
spanking breeze, her balloon jib-topsail is 
sheeted home and envelops her from top- 
mast head to end of her jibboom, and 
away aft to her full waist. Well and 
smartly handled, ye motley crew ; you may 
not look so neat and natty as the uniformed 
lads of the Galatea, but the old Norse 
blood of your forefathers runs in your 
veins, and ye are no degenerate sons of 
Hengist and Horsa, and the other vikings 
of your native land. 

But Vce victis ! Already the tardy cutter 
is almost forgotten as she struggles bravely 
on, irrevocably handicapped beyond re- 
demption now, for the sloop is running 
while she has still a weary beat before she 
can do the same. At last she too tacks for 


THE MAYFLOWER AND GALATRA RACES OF 1886. 


the turning mark, but carries her baby jib- 
topsail to the very last minute, in the hope 
of gaining a yard or two thereby. She 
tacked at 2.40, and at 2.44 is fairly off after 
her rival. Now, boys, bear a hand ; up 
with your balloon ; you have not a moment 
to lose ; the breeze that favored the Yan- 
kee is fast dying away, and you must make 
the most of it. Why, what’s the matter, ye 
hardy sons of Yarmouth ? Ah, there it goes 
up! — up I What! it’s surely not foul? 
Yes ! down, down, it has to come, and three 
weary minutes are consumed before it gets 
to the topmast head, and begins to draw. 
The game is well-nigh over now ; away in 
the distance, like some huge albatross with 
outspread pinions, the Mayfiouier is nearing 
buoy which she rounds at 3.34, and so 
round S.W. spit buoy 3^ minutes later, 
and jibed her mainsail to get her spinnaker 
under way. But the wind had hauled into 
the eastward, and the boom was left in 
slings ready to be dropped at a moment’s 
notice. 

The Galatea rounds buoy 8^ at 3.46^, 
and the S. W. spit buoy at 3.50. The 
wind freshens a trifle, and the cutter tries 
her spinnaker, and the Mayflower follows 
suit almost immediately. The goal is rap- 
idly neared now ; the same demoniac noises 
commence, but are kept up twice as long, 
and, if it were possible, are twice as loud. 
The very bosom of the mighty deep seems 
to tremble, and, amid salvos of cannon, the 
jubilee of 50,000 throats, and the ovation, 
congratulations and rejoicings of such a mul- 
titude as had never before gathered on New 
York’s historic bay, the peerless Boston 
sloop Mayflower bore her happy owner, 
General Paine, over the line at 4.22)4. 

I append the official time : 



START 

FINISH 

ELAPSED 

TIME 

CORRECT- 
ED TIME 


H. M. S. 

H. M. S. 

H. M. S. 

H. M. S. 

Mayflower. . . . 

10 56 12 

4 22 53 

S 26 41 

5 26 41 

Galatea 

10 56 II 

4 35 32 

5 39 21 

5 38 43 


Mayflower wins by 12m. 2s. 

The conclusions to be drawn and the 
lessons taught by this momentous struggle 
were briefly these: that in light breezes and 
a smooth sea the English model, as repre- 
sented by the Genesta, Galatea and Irex 
type, cannot compete at beating, reaching 
or running with the American build. That 
with regard to seamanship and expert hand- 
ling of their craft the Americans have noth- 
ing to learn from their cousins from over 
the water. That, having at the outset been 
the humble disciples of the mother country. 


109 

they have reached that stage in the science 
and art of yacht building and equipment 
that entitles the learner to usurp the position 
of teacher. 

The following details of the dimensions of the 
rig, sail area of the contending yachts, will be read 
with interest by the initiated. For the information 
about the Galatea I am indebted to the courtesy of 
Mr. J. Beavor Webb, and the figures referring to 
the Mayflower were kindly furnished me by, Mr. 
Burgess at the request of her owner, General 
Paine: 

GALATEA CUTTER. 


Length over all 102.60 ft. 

“ of L. W. 1 87.00 “ 

“ “ lead keel 39.00 “ 

Beam extreme 15.00 “ 

Number of beams to length 5.80 

Draft 13.^4: ft. 

Mast deck to hounds 53-00 “ 

Topmast fid to pin 45-50 “ 

Boom extreme 73.00 “ 

Gaff pin to bolt 44-50 “ 

Bowsprit outboard 35-50 “ 

“ close reefed 21.50 “ 

Spinnaker boom , 66.00 “ 

Weight of lead keel 81.50 tons 

AREA OF SAILS. 

Mainsail 3,321 sq. ft. 

Club topsail 1,365 “ 

Staysail 825“ 

Jib 975 “ 

Jib topsail 1,265 “ 

Spinnaker 30,52 “ 

Bowsprit spinnaker or balloon jib topsail 2,530 “ 

MAYFLOWER — CENTERBOARD SLOOP, 

Length over all 100 ft. 

Length on L. W. L. 85^^“ 

Length of keel 80 “ 

Beam extreme 23^^“ 

Number of beams to length 3.6 

Draft without centerboard ft. 

Draft with centerboard down 20 “ 

Mast deck to hounds 62 “ 

Topmast to topmast rigging 42 “ 

Total length of sticks from deck to truck . . 109 “ 

Bowsprit (which does not reef) 38 “ 

Main boom 80 “ 

Gaff 50 “ 

Spinnaker boom 67 “ 

AREA OF SAILS. 

Mainsail 4,000 sq. ft. 

Working topsail • 800 “ 

Staysail 800 “ 

Jib 1,200 “ 

Spinnaker 4,000 “ 


So that when beating to windward the Galatea 
carried 7,751 square feet of canvas, while the May- 
flowerhsid approximately about 8,500. 

THE SECOND RACE, SEPTEMBER 9. 

As I threaded my way to the bows of the 
members’ boat of the New York Yacht 
Club, on which Mr. Hurst, the treasurer, 
had kindly secured me a passage, I felt that 
I was about to witness the same perform- 
ance outside the Hook as had saddened 
my spirits on the first day. 


I lO 


THE MAYFLOWER AND GALATEA RACES OF 1886. 


The weather was most unfavorable ; 
drizzling rain commenced before we left 
Pier No. i and continued without intermis- 
sion to speak of throughout the entire day. 
Added to these discomforts, a dense fog 
settled down early in the afternoon and put 
an end to the race and to any enjoyment of 
the trip, and sent us home groping our 
way, and landed us late, hungry and 
thoroughly miserable. In discussing this 
abortive attempt to finish this series of 
races I shall confine myself strictly to the 
details and technicalities of the contest, 
leaving the reader to supplement the 
accompaniments and accessories from my 
previous description, his vivid imagination 
or the details to be gathered from the 
voluminous expressions of opinion in the 
daily press accounts. The wind had risen 
considerably by the time we reached the 
Scotland lightship, and the weather gave 
angry tokens of letting loose a regular 
sou’wester. It was manifestly a clinking 
“cutter day,” and right merrily did the 
Galatea lads move smartly about, taking a 
reef in the running bobstay, running in 
her bowsprit, hauling down the big jib, and 
substituting the second-sized one. Lieu- 
tenant Henn did not mean to be caught 
napping. 

No change was made on the Mayflower. 
She carried her big jib and gained a great 
advantage thereby. Both craft thought it 
best to carry only working topsails. 

At 11.20 the preparatory whistle was 
blown from the steam tug Luckenback, 
while the Scandanavian had been started 
ahead to mark out a twenty-mile course 
east by north, dead in the teeth of a fresh 
breeze of wind that put the racing craft 
scuppers to and sent the black waves 
seething and boiling in their wake. 

Almost immediately after the starting 
signal the Mayflower bounded across the 
line, just skinning past the lightship. The 
Galatea was quite a good deal to leeward, 
and had to shake up a trifle into the wind 
to pass the judge’s boat. Time of crossing 
was 11:30:30, and 11:30:32. Both craft 
were being sailed a shade fine, but the 
Boston sloop evidently held her way bet- 
ter, while the cutter made more leeway 
than she ought. 

The Galatea did not relish her position, 
and at 11.50 made her first tack, quickly 
followed by the sloop. It was at once ap- 
parent that the old game had commenced, 
and the Boston boat, like a giddy girl, was 
romping away from her more sedate Eng- 
lish sister. The difference in set of the 


sails of the two boats was also very notice- 
able, for while the Mayflower s canvas was 
stretched flat as a board, the leech of the 
Galatea kept licking about the whole way 
to windward, and must have been as annoy- 
ing to her owner as it was disheartening 
to the gazing cutter men. 

At 12.20- Sandy Hook lightship was 
passed, and the sloop had a clear lead of 
half a mile. The Mayflower made another 
short board at 12.58, returning to her orig- 
inal tack at 1. 1 1. The Englishman held 
straight on. The wind shows a tendency 
to lighten, and at 1.27 the Galatea sent 
down her working topsail, and replaced it 
smartly by her club-topsail. 

When about half the windward course was 
done the Mayflower appeared about 2)4 
miles distant, dead to windward of the cut- 
ter. At 1.37 the sloop tacked, and while 
shaking “ in stays ” her crew very smartly 
sent aloft her club-topsail to windward of 
her working one. The Galatea tacked 
again at 1.39, and apparently got abetter 
wind, and seemed to have closed up the 
gap somewhat. At 1.50 the wind had 
lightened enough to allow the sloop to send 
up her jib-topsail. The sea also became 
smoother, and the fog began to settle down 
so thick that it was with difficulty the 
Galatea could be discerned a full three miles 
to leeward, which the sloop gradually 
widened to four or five before she rounded 
the mark buoy at 4:24:45 by my time. I 
saw nothing more of the Galatea that day, 
but read that she bore up for home when 
the Mayflo^ver rounded. Fog, light wind, 
and closing darkness put an end to the 
race, which counted for nothing, as it was 
not sailed in the seven-hour limit, but it 
proved to the most skeptical the marked 
superiority of the sloop at the very game 
that was fondly believed to be par excel- 
lence a cutter’s, for the Mayflower gained 
almost all her vantage while the sea and 
wind held. She outwinded and out- 
speeded the English cutter, and did not 
make nearly the leeway the Galatea did. 

THE THIRD AND CONCLUSIVE RACE. 

SEPTEMBER II. 

A glorious yachting day, a bright sun 
and a fresh steady breeze ushered in the 
final discomfiture of the cutter and her 
partisans. Space does not permit me to 
go into the details of the struggle ; nor is 
it needed. The programme of Tuesday 
and Thursday was enacted without a hitch. 
The Mayflo 7 ver left the Galatea in the run 
to leeward, increased the lead in the thrash 




THE MAYFLOWER AND GALATEA RACES OF 1886. iii 


to windward back home, and finally won 
the deciding event by 29m. 9s. For the 
subjoined history of the Atnerica's Cup I 
am indebted to my friend, Captain Roland 
F. Coffin, famous as a sailor, and still 
more so as the historian of sailors’ deeds ; 

The cup which has once more been successfully 
defended by an American yacht, was first won by the 
schoon&T America in 1851, in a race of the Royal 
Yacht Squadron around the Isle of Wight, she sailing 
as one of a large fleet of schooners and cutters. The 
popular impression is that she sailed against the 
whole fleet ; but this is incorrect. She simply sailed 
as one of them, each one striving to win. When 
won it became the property of the owners of the 
America, and was brought by them to this country 
and retained in their possession for several years. 
They then concluded to make of it an international 
challenge cup, and by a deed of gift placed it in the 
custody of the New York Yacht Club as trustee. 
By this deed of gift any foreign yacht may compete 
for it upon giving six months’ notice, and is entitled 
to one race over the New York Yacht Club course. 
There is, however, a clause in the deed which per- 
mits the challenger and the club to make any con- 
ditions they choose for the contest, and as a matter 
of fact, it has never been sailed for under the terms 
expressed in the deed of gift ; the two parties hav- 
ing always been able to agree upon other conditions. 

When the schooner yacht Cambria came for it 
in 1870, she being the first challenger, the six months’ 
notice was waived, and she sailed against the whole 
fleet, against the protest of her owner, Mr. James 
Ashbury, he contending that only a single vessel 
should be matched against her. The Cambtna was 
beaten, and Mr. Ashbury had the schooner Livonia 
built expressly to challenge for this cup. The 
matter of his protest having been referred to Mr. 
George L. Schuyler, the only one of the owners of 


the America who was living, he decided that Mr. 
Ashbury’s interpretation of the deed of gift was 
correct, and that such was the intention of the donors 
of the cup. When the Livonia came, in 1871, 
the club selected four schooners, the keel boats 
Sappho and Daunlless, and the centerboards Palmer 
and Columbia, to defend the cup, claiming the right 
to name either of those four on the morning of each 
race. The series of races was seven, the best four 
to win. There were five races sailed, the Colu^ibia 
winning two, the Sappho two, and the Livonia one. 

The next challenger was the Canadian schooner 
Countess of Duff erin, in 1876, and Major Gifford, 
who represented her owners, objected to the naming 
of more than one yacht by the New York club, and 
asked that she be named in advance. The New 
York club has from the first behaved in the most 
liberal and sportsmanlike manner in relation to this 
cup, and on this occasion it assented to Major Gif- 
ford’s request and named the schooner Madeleine. 
The races agreed upon were three, best two to win. 
Only two were sailed, Capt. “Joe” Elsworth sail- 
ing the Canadian yacht in the second race. The 
Madeleine won both races with ease. 

In 1881 a challenge was received from the Bay of 
Quinte Yacht Club, naming the sloop Atalanta, and 
the conditions agreed upon were the same as in the 
race with the other Canadian yacht, the club naming 
the sloop Mischief, which won the first two races. 

The next challenger was the cutter Genesta last 
year, practically the same conditions being agreed 
upon as in the two previous races. The only dif- 
ference was that as a concession to the challenger, 
two out of the three races were agreed upon to be 
sailed outside the Hook. The Puritan won the 
two first races, as the Alayflower has won them this 
year. From first to last, the only victory of either 
of the challengers has been that of the Livonia over 
the Columbia, which was gained by the American 
yacht carrying away part of her steering gear. 











AMERICAN STEAM YACHTING. 


”3 





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AMERICAN STEAM YACHTING. 


BY EDWARD S. JAFFRAY. 



notice from 
writers on the subject. This is partly owing, 
no doubt, to the comparatively recent com- 
mencement of the use of steam in yachts. 

As, however, this power is rapidly grow- 
ing in favor, while sails remain almost sta- 
tionary, it is desirable to place steam yachts 
in their proper place before the public, and 
give them, at least, a share of the attention 
and commendation which have hitherto 
been devoted almost exclusively to sails. 

Your regular old yachtsman has a pro- 
found contempt for steam yachts. He con- 
siders that all the romance and pleasure of 
yachting consist in the uncertainties, dan- 
gers, and difficulties attending sailing. He 
glories in the storms which compel the 
shortening of sail, the lying-to, the scud- 
ding before the wind under a staysail, and 
all the other vicissitudes which attend ex- 
cess of wind ; while, on the other hand, he 
takes dead calms, with sails idly flapping 
against the masts, and the reflection of his 
vessel in the mirror-like water, with philos- 
ophy and contentment, passing the long 
hours of inaction in spinning yarns and 
(possibly) drinking cocktails. This class of 
yachtsmen is slowly passing away, and is 


being succeeded by men of more modern' 
views. Gradually we see some of these 
gentlemen disposing of their sloops' and 
schooners and ordering steamers to replace 
them. I can mention a few of these as an 
illustration — Commodore ' Bennett, Mr. 
William Astor, and Mr. Stillman. 

The great truth is gradually dawning on 
the minds of yachtsmen that steam is the 
perfect motive power. Steam yachtsmen 
can go where they please and when they 
please, and, what is more important, they 
know when they will get back. 

In this happy country, we are nearly all 
men of business, and we have neither time 
nor inclination to be becalmed on the glassy 
ocean for hours and days, or to creep along 
at three knots indefinitely. vVhat the Ameri- 
can yachtsmen require imperatively is the 
power of getting about with speed and cer- 
tainty. With a steam engine on board, a 
man is able to command time and space, 
and is independent of storms and calms. 
“ There is a tide in the affairs of men which, 
taken at the flood, leads on to fortune.” 
This tide is steam, and though it may not 
always lead on to fortune, it invariably leads 
to the place whither the owner wants to go. 

I have had a steam yacht for ten years, 
and in that time have traveled in it 55,000 
miles, and as I have been constantly in 
company with sailing yachts, observing 
their picturesqueness and their helplessness, 
I thjnk I am qualified to pronounce an 
opinion on the comparative merits of the 
two classes of yachts. 

I may give a few instances of my expe- 
rience. Some years since, as I was nearing 
Irvington,* on my return from the city, 1 
met Mr. Stillman’s yacht Wanderer, which 
had just got under way for a cruise. We 
exchanged salutes, and I went home. Next 
morning, on my trip down the river, I again 
encountered the Wanderer, which, after 
sailing (or floating) all night, had not yet 
reached Yonkers.* 

On another occasion, I met the Active, 
Captain Hurst, at Thirty-fourth street, 
bound up the river. I proceeded to T wenty- 
third street, disembarked, went to my office, 
and, in the afternoon, at 3:30, started on my 


* We desire to express our indebtedness to Mr. Charles Miller, of Nassau street, for permitting our artist to use many of 
his excellent photographs in the preparation of this article. 

* Twenty-five miles from New York. 

* Eighteen miles from New York. 


“5 


AMERICAN STEAM YACHT/ NG. 


1 16 



CORSAIR,'* OWNED BY J. HIERPONT MORGAN, OF HIGHLAND FALLS ON HUDSON, 


usual homeward trip, and arrived at Irving- 
ton just as the Active was dropping her 
anchor. Her time from Staten Island, 33 
miles, was about 12 hours. 

In the race around Long Island, in 1884, 
there were fourteen of our best sailing 
yachts entered. I went to meet them at 
Execution Light, and arrived there just as 
the two winning boats, the Grayling, and 
the Eamiy, hove in sight. Their time around 
the island was fairly good, but they w^ere 
stopped a couple of miles from the stake 
boat by a dead calm, and I lay there two 
hours, while they were making their last 
two miles. 

In the highly-interesting cruise of the 
New York Yacht Club, last summer, involv- 
ing the trial races between the Puritan and 
Priscilla, the advantages of steam shone out 
conspicuously. The steamers were able to 
take any position they preferred, and thus, 
on leaving New London, they allowed all 
the sailing yachts to start, and then followed 
them, under easy steam; running along the 
whole extended line of schooners and sloops, 
viewing them from the most advantageous 
points, and running past them all in turn, 
until they reached the leading boats, which 
were the two champions, the Puritan and 
Priscilla, and they were then able to keep 
along with these at a short distance to lee- 
ward all the way to Newport. 

Steam yachts may be divided into four 
classes. First, the launch, from forty to 
sixty feet long — an open vessel without 
deck; delightful vessels for river and har- 


bor navigation.' The Herreshoff Company, 
of Bristol, R.L, have been the most, suc- 
cessful in building this class of vessels, 
their launches showing a speed of ten to 
fourteen miles an hour. Some of these, 
like the Camilla, owned by Mr. Brandreth, 
of Sing Sing, and the Lucille, belonging to 
Mr. Herreshoff, are beautiful vessels, per- 
fect in all their proportions, and of speed 
which enables them to perform runs of fifty 
to 100 miles in an afternoon. They have 
comfortable cabins, with glass windows, in 
which their occupants can enjoy the scenery, 
while completely protected from the 
weather; and for use on the Hudson 
River and similar waters they are all that 
could be desired. 

In the second class I put regular 
decked vessels of 75 to 100 feet long, 
which have trunk cabins. They have not 
depth enough to have cabins with a flush 
deck above them, and therefore the deck, 
which is “ par excellence ” the best part 
of the vessel, is sacrificed to the cabin. 
As yachting is carried on only in the sum- 
mer (as a rule), when it is pleasant to be in 
the open air, yachtsmen and their guests 
are always on deck, viewing the scenery 
and the passing vessels, except when the 
announcement by the steward that a meal 
is ready causes them to hurry down to the 
saloon with generally, I presume, excellent ' 
appetites. As soon, however, as the eating 

> I omit all launches below forty feet in length, as the New 
York Yacht Club does not recognize any vessel of less than 
forty feet long as a yacht, and does not admit them into the 
club. 


AMERICAN STEAM YACHTING. 


117 




is accomplished, they return to the deck to 
smoke their cigars and see what is going 
on. Now, to sacrifice the deck merely to 
have a more roomy cabin, is, I consider, 
a fatal mistake, and I consequently dis- 
approve in toto of this class of vessels. 
Beside the loss of the deck there is an- 
other serious objection to them. They 
are not safe in a sea way. A sea taken on 
board might easily crush in the sides of the 
trunk cabin and swamp the vessel, and, 
consequently, these yachts are not fit to go 
into the open sea except when the barom- 
eter stands above thirty and the ocean is in 
a quiet mood. 

The third class consists of vessels some- 
what larger than the preceding, and es- 


pecially having greater depth, with a flush 
deck from stem to stern. These yachts 
are very desirable, and can go anywhere. 
Among the best of these are the Pastime., 
the Sentinel, and the Tilley. This class of 
yachts should satisfy all persons who pro- 
pose to navigate the Hudson River, the 
Sound, and as far along the coast as Mount 
Desert Island, where they can make a port 
at the end of each day’s run, and do not 
require to pass the night on the open sea. 

The fourth class consists of larger vessels, 
which are regular sea-going craft, fit to cir- 
cumnavigate the globe. Of such are the 
Noiirniahal,Namouna,Atalanta, and I may 
add, though they are of a somewhat smaller 
class, the Electra, the Corsair, and the 



HASSAN STEAM LAUNCH OF JAMF^ GORDON BENNETT. 

(From a drawing by Hennelle, in Yacht,) 



ii8 


AMERICAN STEAM YACHTING. 


Stranger. These all have flush decks of 
ample dimensions, and large saloons and 
state-rooms, and in fact combine all the 
qualities necessary to make them the per- 
fection of comfort and pleasure. 

There is probably no better yachting 
ground than the waters around New York 
and the coast of New England, as far as 
the Bay of Fundy. For 200 miles, with the 
exception of the run from Watch Hill to 
Cuttyhunk, the waters are protected by 
outlying islands. The voyage, then, from 
Oak Bluffs to Portland is in the open sea 
for three-fourths of the distance, but from 
Portland to Bar Harbor the navigation 


A good steamer, with a speed of 15 
to 17 miles an hour, can make this 
eastern cruise about as follows. First day 
run to that delightful harbor. New London, 
no miles ; next day to Newport, 46 miles i 
and after staying a couple of days for 
the festivities and hospitalities sure to. 
be found there, run to Oak Bluffs, about 
50 miles. A day there will suffice 
to see the thousand ornamental cottages, 
after which, starting at daylight, run to 
Portland, 190 miles, going through the 
Shoals, and skirting the long, sandy shore 
of Cape Cod, passing in turn the various 
life-saving stations and light-houses, and,. 



“UTOWANA,” OWNED BY W. E. CONNOR, REAR COMMODORE BOSTON YACHT CLUB. 


again is in inland waters, so that in the 
cruise of 550 miles the course exposed to 
the open sea is not more than 200. 

While sailing 'yachts have a troublesome 
and difficult navigation through Nantucket 
Shoals to reach Cape Cod, steamers can lie 
the direct course from light ship to light ship, 
feeling their way along, guided by the bell 
or fog whistle of the various light vessels, 
and can navigate with comparative safety 
and certainty through the labyrinth of sand 
banks, while the sailing yachts, baffled by 
light winds, and embarrassed by fogs, have 
to anchor or turn back till a, favorable 
change in the weather. 


after reaching the end of the promontory 
making a course almost due north, to the 
fine harbor of Portland. 

A delightful excursion may be made, 
while here, to the head of Casco Bay, some 
thirty nautical miles, running up one avenue 
of beautiful verdure-clad islands, returning 
down another equally interesting. The 
next run should be to that charming spot 
Bar Harbor, about 120 miles direct; but the 
distance may be increased to 160 by going 
in and out among the crowd of picturesque 
islands, and following the line of the undu- 
lating shore. The yacht would thus pass 
close to Rockland, Rockford, and Camden, 


AMERICAN STEAM YACHTING. 


119 


in the beautiful bay of the latter name 
which has as a background the fine range 
of the Camden Hills. 

From Bar Harbor the cruise may be con- 
tinued to Campo Bello, to St. Johns, to 
Halifax, and round into the Gulf of St. 
Lawrence, as may be most agreeable. 

With a steam yacht of the larger class 
one may do anything. There are no limits 
to the enjoyments of such a mode of travel- 
ing, and when it is desired to return, one 
may telegraph the exact day, and almost 
the hour, when he will drop his anchor 
again in the Hudson. 

As a compromise between steam and 
sails, I would suggest the sailing vessel with 
an auxiliary screw, like Sir Thomas Bras- 


bination of sails and steam has undoubtedly 
great advantages, being superior to either 
style alone. But there are very few yachts- 
men who have the leisure or the desire to 
go off on a six months’ cruise, and for all 
river and harbor and coasting expeditions 
the steamer is the true style of vessel. The 
Sunbeam, which, I presume, is one of the 
most successful of her class, and a perfectly 
satisfactory vessel to her owner, would cut 
but a poor figure in a run up the Hudson 
or the Sound in company with our better 
class of yachts. The best speed of the 
Sunbeam under steam alone is, I believe, 
8 knots, while our steamers run from 10 
to 17 knots, so that, starting in company, as 
I have supposed, she would be out of sight 



ATALANTA,” OWNED BY JAY GOULD, AMERICAN YACHT CLUB. 


sey’s yacht, the Sunbea?n. In this he has 
circumnavigated the globe, and cruised in 
the Mediterranean many times with great 
success and comfort, and there is no more 
agreeable reading to be found than Lady 
Brassey’s graphic accounts of these voy- 
ages. This class of vessel combines the 
delightful romance and uncertainties of the 
sailing yacht with the power to get through 
calms and against head winds, when neces- 
sary, by means of the steam engine. It can 
thus go on long voyages without the incon- 
venient burden of a large cargo of coal, as 
in vessels propelled wholly by steam, and 
all the interesting experience of navigation 
by sails can be enjoyed for weeks and 
months together, so that one might almost 
forget the engine and boiler down below, 
and feel as if the winds were the only pro- 
pelling power. For long voyages this com- 


astern in a couple of hours run. There is 
nothing so galling to a man of fine feelings, 
when yachting, as to have another yacht 
come up and go past him. Under these 
circumstances a man is tempted to sit on 
the-safety valve and turn on the steam jet, 
burn rosin and kerosene, and to do any- 
thing desperate to avoid such a humilia- 
tion ; and this spirit of competition and 
emulation is one of the greatest helps to 
the development of excellence in building 
these vessels. Every man who gives an 
order for a steam yacht directs the builder 
to make it a little faster than any previous 
vessel, and thus the ingenuity of the enter- 
prising builders is taxed to the uttermost, 
and excellence is the natural result. There 
is, however, a limit to the speed of such 
vessels ; every additional mile added to the 
speed is only obtained by an enormously 



120 


AMERICAN STEAM YACHTING. 


increased power and expenditure of fuel, 
and when a certain speed is reached (de- 
pendent, of course, somewhat on the model 
of the vessel), the resistance and slip bal- 
ance the power employed, and no further 
increase can be obtained. Our American 
yachts make better time, as a rule, than 
those of England, the latter seldom attain- 
ing a greater speed than lo knots, while 
our larger class make from 12^ to 17, The 
Atalanta can steam 17 knots, the Corsair 
and Stranger 15, and a number of others 
14, thus showing either that our models are 


the center of the boat, working in an air- 
tight iron box, into which air was forced, 
for the purpose of keeping the water down. 

The invention proved a failure, and then 
it was that Mr. Aspinwall altered this boat 
by putting on her side-wheels with feather- 
ing buckets, and an oscillating engine, and 
thus produced, so far as there is any record, 
the first steam yacht in New York har- 
bor, and probably the first in America. She 
was named the Fire-Fly, and he used to 
come up in her quite frequently to his bus- 
iness in New York from his country-seat 





PASTIME,” OWNED BY E. C. WALKER, OF DETROIT, MICH. 


better, or that we use engines of greater 
power. 

I will now give a sketch of the rise and 
progress of steam yachting in this country, 
and in doing so, I tender my acknowledg- 
ments to the Rev. John A. Aspinwall and 
Mr. Jacob Lorillard for much valuable in- 
formation which they have kindly furnished. 

About thirty-three years ago, Mr. William 
H. Aspinwall, of New York, the President 
of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company, 
built a steam-boat 50 or 60 feet long, in 
order to try. an experiment with a wheel, 
which a Frenchman had invented, and 
which it was thought would be a success. 
It consisted of a single paddle-wheel, in 


on Staten Island, and take pleasure-trips 
down the bay and sound. Her captain was 
named, Dayton, and her engineer, John 
Armstrong. Her speed was from nine to 
ten miles an hour. 

This boat was afterwards bought by the 
Government, and went south at the begin- 
ning of the civil war. 

Mr. Aspinw’all then built his second boat, 
the Hay-Dream. She was a composite ves- 
sel, 105 feet on the water-line; 17 or 18 
feet beam. She had a pair of upright en- 
gines in her, and one horizontal boiler, and 
an inside surface condenser. 

The model was made by Dr. Smith, of 
Green Point, and under his supervision the 



AMERICAN STEAM YACHTING. 


I2I 



“sentinel,” owned by J. L. ASPIWWALL, ATLANTIC YACHT CLUB, 


boat was built, at the Continental Iron 
Works. Her machinery was constructed 
by the Delamater Iron Works, of New 
York. The speed of this vessel was from 
twelve to fourteen miles. 

About the time that Mr. Aspinwall built 
his first steam yacht, the Fire-Fly, his son 
John, then a school-boy of about thirteen 
years old, having a natural taste for me- 
chanics, used to go Saturdays to the Mor- 
gan Iron Works and the Allaire Works, 
and became very much interested in the 
construction of boats, boilers, and engines. 
He therefore determined to try and build 
himself a steam yacht, to be used on a 
pond, on his father’s place. He succeeded 
in building a flat-bottom boat, with a sharp 
bow, twelve feet long, and three feet six 
inches wide, and placing in her an engine 
driven by six alcohol lamps, and attaching 
it by cog-wheels to the shaft. He paddled 
about in the pond at the rapid speed of 
half a mile an hour, to the great conster- 
nation of the two stately swans, the dis- 
comfiture of the large frogs, sitting on 
the floating bits of wood, and the rapid 
diminution of the alcohol, gotten, from the 
demijohn if his father’s pantry. As a 
matter of fact, in all his after-experiencfe 
in steam yachting he has never been able 
to reduce the item of fuel down to so low 
a figure as in his first experiment. 

Two or three boats followed this first 
one, all of them built by himself and play- 
mates. In 1865, the year after he went 
to reside in Bay Ridge, L.I., and take 
charge of the Episcopal Church and parish 
there, he, as a pastime and recreation, and 
for the purpose of getting a stronger hold 


on some of the young men in the parish, 
built, together with them, a flat-bottomed, 
side-wheeled boat about 20 feet long, draw- 
ing only 5 inches. This boat had been in 
the water a short time, when a Southerner, 
from Savannah, who offered just twice 
what she cost, bought her and took her to 
the Savannah River. Then Mr. Aspinwall 
had built, by a Mr. Whitman, in South 
Brooklyn, a side-wheeled boat called the 
Julia, about 35 feet long. The model 
was furnished by a friend. The boiler and 
engines were built by the Continental 
Works of Greenpoint. 

This yacht had such a round bottom that 
on her first trial she was nearly upset, while 
crossing the East River, by the waves from 
a passing Sound boat. She never left the 
dock but that once. Her engine and boiler 
were put into another boat, about 45 feet 
in length, designed chiefly by her owner. 
She gave great satisfaction, and was called 
Julia No. 2. Then followed the Comet, a 
boat 25 feet long, the first one in which he 
put a propeller engine. Then came the 
Surprise, built by James Lennox, of South 
Brooklyn. 

This yacht was 65 feet long, and 
had a pair of upright engines, an upright 
tubular boiler, and an outside pipe conden- 
ser, and was the first yacht in New York 
harbor that had a pilot-house. She was 
sold to Captain Billings, of New London, 
who still is her owner. Next came the 
Runaway, 70 feet long ; after using this 
yacht two seasons, the owner cut her in two, 
just forward of the boiler, and lengthened 
her fifteen feet, and changed the boat from 
a trunk cabin to a flush deck. This work 




122 AMERICAN STEAM YACHTING. 

I 


was done by a Mr. Voris, of Upper Nyack. 
This was the first flush deck steam yacht, 
owned in New York. She had a pair of 
upright boilers and engines, and made lo 
to 12 miles per hour, with no change in 
her machinery ; the addition made to her 
length having had no perceptible effect on 
the speed. She was purchased by General 
Newton for the Government, and is still do- 
ing service at Astoria. After this he built 
a boat called the Arrow, 70 feet long, 
10 feet beam; her engines and boiler were 
like those in the Surprise, but generally 
improved in design and construction. This 
yacht attained the speed of 13 miles, and 
•was at that time about the fastest boat of 
her size in the harbor. Mr. Aspinwall, of 
Barrytown, purchased her. 

The Pastime was then built, having com- 
pound condensing engines, known as the 
tandem pattern, high-pressure cylinders, 
10 inches by 12, low pressure 12 inches 
square, upright tubular boiler, with outside 
pipe condenser. This boat was sold to Mr. 
E. T. Gerry, of New York, who resold her, 
after he built the Electra, to parties who 
took her far from New York. In 1880, he 
built a small boat 34 feet long, 9 feet beam, 
with a pair of 4 by 4 engines and an up- 
right boiler. This boat was called the Dart, 
and was sent south, where her owner now 
uses her for navigating the bays and rivers 
about St. Augustine. 

Boat No. 13 was named the Sentinel, 
being the one which he at present owns, 
106 feet on water-line, 18 feet beam, flush 
deck, pair of compound condensing en- 
gines, two high-pressure cylinders, 12 by 
12, two low-pressure, 20 by 12, upright 


tubular boiler, containing 520 2-inch 
tubes, and capable of supplying engines at 
full speed (with blower running) with steam 
at 100 pounds pressure ; speed of this 
yacht, 12 to 15 miles per hour. All the 
engines and boilers of the last seven yachts 
were built by Mr. Lysander Wright, 
Jr., of Newark, N.J., and have proved 
themselves to be most excellent specimens 
of workmanship and durability. 

When Mr. J. A. Aspinwall, as a boy, first 
began to build boats, he made up his mind 
to understand, so far as possible, every de- 
partment of a steam yacht, so that he has 
•been, by turns, deck-hand, cook, fireman, 
engineer, and captain. He ran the engines 
of all his own yachts until they were so 
large that he required more crew than he 
and his friends could supply; but up to the 
present time he has always been his own 
captain and pilot, having been licensed as 
such for the past ten years. 

The next contributor to the steam-yacht 
fleet was Mr. Jacob Lorillard, who com- 
menced building in the year 1868. This 
gentleman has done more to create and 
foster the fashion for steam yachting than 
any other person. His plan was to build a 
new yacht every year, and after using it 
through the season, and getting it into first- 
rate running order, to sell it, and thus make 
room for a new vessel the succeeding year. 
His yachts were thus transferred to other 
cities, and in this way they contributed to 
spread the fashion for this pastime. It has 
consequently now become a great national 
amusement, and is constantly growing in 
all our sea-board cities. 

I insert here a letter from Mr. Lorillard. 



“ ELECTRA,” OWNED BY ELBRIDGE T. GERRY, COMMODORE NEW YORK YACHT CLUB. 


AMERICAN STEAM YACHTING. 


123 


Name. 

Year Built. I| 

Rig. 

Length of Water-line. 

Length on Deck. | 

Beam. 

Depth. j 

Draught of Water. | 

_ 1 

Diameter of Screw with Best Result. 

Pitch of Screw with Best Result. 

♦ 

1 

Revolutions per Minute. | 

Diameter of Cylinder. | 

1 Stroke. ij 

Pressure. | 

Type of Boiler. 

1 

1 

1 





Ft. 

Ft. 

Ft. 

Ft. 

Ft. 

Ft. 


In. 

In 



Firefly 

1868 

Schooner .... 

62 

67 

13 

5% 

5 

4A 

9 

140 

16 

12 

40 

Horizontal water tube. 

Mischief 

1869 

ii 

71 

76 

15 

sH 

4% 

4H 

9 

140 

16 

12 

60 

a 4 ( 

Emily 

1869 

Brigantine .. 

71 

76 

15 

.■i‘A 

4'A 

4% 

9 

140 

16 

12 

60 

H ti 

Fearless 

1872 

Schooner.... 

80 

85 

IS 

5% 

4]A 

4A 

9 

142 

9-16 

12 

80 

Upright tubular. 

Lurline 

1872 

U 

80 

8s 

16 

sK 

hA 

5 


142 

13-22 

16 

90 

keturn horizontal tubular 

Skylark 

1874 


78 

84 

16 

sA 

5 

4A 

9 , 

145 

12-20 

12 

TOO 

Upright water tube. 

Lookout 

187 s 


100 

10s 

16 

sA 

5 

5 

9 >^ 

160 

12-20 

16 

too 

Horizontal water tube. 

Truant 

1876 


77 

86 

16 

5 

4% 

4A 

9 

142 

9-16 

12 

TOO 

Field tube (hanging). 

Promise 

1877 


91 

98 

16 


5 

5 

8A 

230 

T2-20 

16 

130 

i. 44 44 

Rival 

1878 


91 

98 

16 

5 % 

S 

4A 

9 

200 

12-20 

16 

90 

Scotch 7 feet diameter. 

Theresa 

1880 

ii 

90 

96 

16 

sK 

5 

4A 

9 

175 

12-20 

12 

70 

44 44 

Minnehaha 

187s 

ti 

57 

60 

8J^ 

4 

4 

3 

5 

300 

pair 8 

8 

too 

Water tube. 

Tillie 

1882 

(( 

105 

119 

17 

sM 

sK 

5 

9A 

140 

14-24 

16 

90 

Scotch 9 feet diameter. 

Winifred 

1882 

(( 

91 

98 

16 

sH 

5 

4% 

9 

145 

12-21 

16 

80 

Scotch 6% feet diameter. 

Vision 

1883 

(( 

90 

98 

16 

5% 

s 

4A 

9 

ISO 

12-21 

16 

90 

Field water tube. 

Venture ■ 

1883 


62 

70 

12% 

4 

3A 

3 

5 

180 

10 

to 

120 

Upright tube. 


The Theresa gave the best results of any, owing to form of model. Slip 3 per cent. 

The Promise had excessive power to displacement and speed, as did Minnehaha (power models). 

The Truant gave gfreatest economy for displacement and speed. Model good for limited speed. Slip 3^^ per cent., only 
being minimum, except Theresa. 

Rounding frames proved least resistance. 

Lengths of to i beam gave least results. 

Field boilers proved fastest evaporators and lightest, but were unsatisfactory (ends of tubes burning) evaporated double per 
square foot surface of any others. 


with a full list and description of the yachts 
he has built: 

January 19th, 1886. 

E, S. Jaffray, Esq: 

Dear Sir, — I herewith enclose you chart of the di- 
mensions, power, displacements, etc., of some of the 
yachts I have built. On nearly all of them I have had 
a series of different screws of various sizes and pitches, 
and the ones specified were those that gave the best 
result after many trials. I weighed all the vessels in 
the screw dock to check calculated displacement, and 
the displacement given was within a ton or so of the 
actual weight, as the coal in them was estimated, and 
might vary a ton or two at most. 

A careful study of the results, when the model is 
before you, will convince one of the desirability of 
curved lines in every direction, and particularly so in 
the sectional lines. The midship body was very 
near the center of the boat in all that gave speed over 
13 miles, and I am convinced that this must be moved 
forward as the rate of speed increases on a vessel of 
a given length. I am now building one 93x16, 
that has midship frame 3j^ feet forward of the 
center of keel. I have filled up both hollow ends to 
make as regular an arc from end to end as possible, 
and with rounding frames expect to get a minimum 
of resistance, and good speed and economy of power. 

Very truly yours, etc., 

[Signed.] Jacob Lorillard. 


The principal builders of steam yachts in 
America are Cramp & Sons, of Philadel- 
phia; The Harlan & Hollingsworth Com- 
pany, of Wilmington, Del.; Mr. John 
Roach; The Herreshoff Company of Bristol, 
R.I.; and Ward, Stanton & Co., of New- 
burgh (now defunct). Messrs. Wm. Cramp & 
Sons describe the four yachts that they 
have built, in answer to a letter from me 
on the subject: — 

“In compliance with your wish expressed in 
your favor of the 12th inst., the following-named 
steam yachts: A talanta, Corsair, Stranger, and “ 246,” 
are the only ones we have built, and all have been 
very successful, each one not only coming up to the 
speed required, but going in every case beyond. 

“The Stranger built for Mr. George Os- 
good, of New York, in the year 1881 ; she was (up to 
the time that the A talanta Avas built) the fastest 
yacht in America. Mr. Osgood, on one occasion, 
took his breakfast at Newport, at 7 A.M., and at 
4 P.M. the same day was taking his dinner in New 
York harbor, having made the run of 135 knots in 
nine hours, being 15 knots per hour. This is 
the best time made between Newport and New York, 
either by a side-wheeler or propeller. The Corsair 


124 


AMERICAN STEAM YACHTING. 


Name. 


Firefly 

Mischief. . . 

Emily 

Fearless. . . , 

Lurline 

Skylark 

Lookout 

Truant 

Promise 

Rival 

Theresa . . . 
Minnehaha 
Tillie 

Winifred. . . 

Vision 

Venture 


6o 

75 

75 

6o 

130 

85 

140 

50 

270 

200 


90 

60 

140 


90 

100 

50 


Memoranda. 


13}^ 

3/4 


14M 

, 

14^ 

13 

16 

14/4 

^ 6}4 

15 

14 

i 3?4 

14/4 


Had trunk cabin 30 inches high above deck. 

Trunk cabin, one state-room, scag i foot below keel. 

“ “ “ “ lengthened (1870) 13 feet, scag i foot. 

Compound engines, altered from single, show gain by test of 41 per 
cent, of fuel. 

Trunk cabin, scag 15 inches below keel ; lengthened 13 feet in 1873. 


<C t( tt jg (( U (( 

Boiler forced by blower to burn 40 lbs. per square foot grate evaporative, 

I cubic foot water per square feet heating surface. 

H li li tl (( 

(i (( li li li 

Lengthened 30 feet in 1884 (power too small for new hull), with insufficient 
steaming capacity. 

Trunk cabin. 

“ “ (boiler replaced with upright tubular). 


Compound engines saved 41 per cent, of coal over single engines at same point of expansion. 

Scotch boilers were very heavy for quantity of steam produced. 

For small yachts would recommend upright boilers as best for natural draught boats. 

None of the above yachts were built entirely for speed, but to combine good speed with comfortable accommodations and 
an economy of fuel for cruising purposes, and to be graceful vessels. 

A light and compact boiler that will produce a large evaporation is greatly wanted for yacht purposes. 


was equally fast, both vessels having been of the 
same model, and supplied with the same engines and 
boilers. They are 185 feet long, 23 feet beam, and 
13 feet hold, and 9 feet 2 A inches draft of water, 
compound engines, high-pressure cylinder 24 inches 
diameter, low-pressure cylinder 44 inches diameter 
and 24 inches stroke, developing 760 horse power. 
The only difference between the two yachts was a 
different finish about the cutwater. 

“The Afa/atitav:sis built, as you know, for Mr. Jay 
Gould, in the year of 1883, and has also come fully 
up to the expectations as to speed, comfort, and sea- 
worthiness entertained by her owner and builders. 
She is a perfect model of beauty and comfort, and is 
a knot and a half or two knots faster than any other 
yacht in the world. She has made the speed of 
20 miles in one hour and a quarter, with fire 
under but one of her boilers. When she has her full 
compliment of steam from both boilers, there is not a 
vessel of her inches that can keep alongside of her. 
She is magnificently fitted up with hardwood saloons 
and state-rooms. She is 248 feet 3 inches long, 26 
feet 5 inches beam, and 16 feet depth of hold on a 
draught of 12 feet of water. Her engines are com- 
pound 30 inches diameter low-pressure cylinder by 
30 inches stroke, no pounds steam, and indicates 
1,750 horse power. She has attained a speed of 17 
knots per hour. 

“The yacht ‘246’ is 166 feet long, 22 feet beam, 
13 feet hold, with S }4 feet draft of water, engines 


triple expansion, 17 inches diameter high pressure, 
24 inches diameter intermediate, and 40 inches diam- 
eter low-pressure cylinders, with a stroke of 22 inches. 
In the yacht race in July last, from Larchmont to 
New London (a ninety-five mile run), we came in 
behind the Atalanta eleven minutes. Being a new 
vessel, and just from the yard in an unfinished state, 
this shows an extraordinary performance for a yacht 
of this size.” 

The Harlan & Hollingsworth Company 
have kindly placed at my disposal descrip- 
tions of the six steam yachts they have 
turned out; two of them ranking among 
the finest yachts in the world. 

“METEOR,” 1876. 

Dimensions; Length between perpen- 
diculars, 75 feet; length over all, 79 feet 3 
inches; breadth of beam, 10 feet; depth 
amidships, top of keel to top of beam, 5 
feet I inch; mean draft, 3 feet; displace- 
ment (finished), 20 tons. 

Machinery: Two inverted, high-pres- 
sure engines, 10x12 inches. 

Boiler; Of steel, for 200 pounds pressure. 


AMERICAN STEAM YACHTING. 


125 



“viking,” owned by HON. SAMUEL J. TILDEN, OF GREVSTONE ON HUDSON. 


Propeller; 56 inches diameter; 300 revo- 
lutions per minute. 

Joinery; Saloon on main deck aft; pilot 
house forward. 

Accommodations for officers and crew; 
capstan on main deck forward. 

Speed; 21 miles per hour. 

“VICTOR,” 1878. 

Dimensions; Length over all, 55 feet; 
beam, molded, 10 feet; beam, over guards, 
13 feet; depth, amidships, 4 feet 6 inches. 

Machinery; One direct-acting, vertical, 
surface - condensing engine ; cylinder 6 
inches diameter by 8-inch stroke, with at- 
tachments complete; donkey feed pump, 
injector, etc. 

Boiler; Vertical, tubular boiler, 36x63 
inches for a working pressure of 100 pounds 
per square inch; air jet into stack. 

Propeller: 36 inches diameter. 

Joinery : Cabin forward, with berths, 
lockers, etc., finished in hard wood; pan- 
try, kitchen, etc., aft. 

Two masts, schooner rigged. 

“DiONE,” 1879. 

Dimensions: Length between perpen- 
diculars, 43 feet ; length over all, 47 
feet 4 inches; beam, molded, 7 feet 9 
inches; depth from base line to top of gun- 
wale plate at dead flat, 3 feet 10 inches; 
depth from base line to top of gunwale 
plate at dead flat, at stem, 5 feet 4^^ 
inches; depth from base line to top of gun- 


wale plate at dead flat, at end of counter, 
4 feet 7^ inches. 

Machinery: Inverted, direct-acting, pro- 
peller engine 8x10 inches. 

Joinery: Trunk cabin, with all accommo- 
dations for pleasure and comfort. 

Boiler: Horizontal locomotive type of 
boiler for 120 pounds working pressure. 

“falcon,” 1880 (iron hull). 

Dimensions: Length between perpendic- 
ulars, 100 feet; length over all, on deck, 
107 feet; breadth of beam, 15 feet 6 inches; 
depth from base line, 7 feet 6 inches. 

Machinery: One vertical, direct-acting, 
condensing engine, cylinder 16 inches by 
16 stroke. Propeller, 5 feet 7J4 inches 
in diameter. 

Boiler: One high-pressure boiler, with 
two furnaces, flues below and return through 
tubes; arranged for a working pressure of 
100 pounds per square inch. 

Joinery: Joiner’s work of soft wood, ex- 
cept the dining room and social hall for- 
ward, and two state-rooms aft, which are 
finished in hard woods. 

Forecastle forward, and two state-rooms 
under the social hall. 

Pilot house on promenade deck forward, 
with room abaft of same. Promenade deck 
fitted with rail and stanchions with rope 
netting, also awning stanchions and awn- 
ing frame. 

Iron water tanks; hand fire pump; ice 
box; iron cranes for carrying boats; anchor 
crane forward; oil tanks, etc. 


ji: 1 



/ 


✓ 






1 

I 

A 



WANDA," OWNED BY W. WOODW 


ARD, JR., AND JAMES STILLMAN, .EASTERN YACHT CLUB. 




A.]fER/CAN STEAM VACIIT/NG. 


127 


STEEL YACHT “NOURMAHAL,” 1884. 

Dimensions: Length on deck foreside of 
rudder post to afterside of stem (or its 
rake line), 232 feet 5 inches; length on water- 
line, 221 feet; breadth extreme (or its rake 
line), 30 feet; depth of hold, top of floors 
to underside of deck, amidships, 18 feet 
7^ inches; depth molded, top of keel to 
top of beams at sides and amidships, 20 
feet; with five athwartship and two fore 
and aft bulkheads. 

The Nounnahal is a queen among steam 


mann, of City Island, N.Y., who designed 
the vessel, superintended her construction; 
and an inspector of the English Lloyds, 
under the rules of which the yacht was 
built, performed his duty thoroughly. 
Frequent reference to the construction of 
the Notirmahal in these columns have con- 
tained in full the measurements and scien- 
tific data involved, which need not be 
repeated, but her internal arrangements 
and fittings are entitled to consideration. 
The Nounnahal looks the ocean yacht all 
over. Her model is exceedingly shapely. 



NOOYA” — DECK VIEW. 


yachts. She is of steel throughout, and in 
construction and fittings neither time nor 
money have been considered. A pleasure 
vessel capable of any service, either under 
steam or canvass, was required, and it is 
believed there is not afloat, to-day, in any 
clime, a stronger, handsomer, or more per- 
fect craft. Almost a year has elapsed since 
the Harlan & Hollingsworth Company, of 
Wilmington, Del., began the preliminary 
works incident to the building of this 
vessel, and had it not been for delays im- 
possible to prevent, in the matter of ob- 
taining required amounts of steel at 
required times, the Nounnahal would have 
been ready months ago. Mr. Gustav Hill- 


and the long, easy lines, with reduced area 
of amidship section, cannot fail to attract 
attention. The bow has a peculiarly rakish 
appearance, and her elliptical stern is very 
handsome ; and while it is claimed there is 
greater strength in this construction, it is 
certainly less dangerous than the square 
stern when running before a heavy sea. 
The plating of the vessel above the water- 
line is smooth as a board, and the neat 
manner in which this work is done demands 
especial mention. The hull is painted a 
glossy black, with a female figure and a 
delicate gold tracery at the head as an 
ornamentation, and on the stern there is 
nothing but her name, and the port from 


128 


AMERICAN STEAM YACHTING. 



PROMISE,” OWNED BY A. D. CORDOVA — LARCHMONT YACHT CLUB. 


which she hails, in massive gold letters. 
She has one large single smoke-pipe, also 
painted black, and she is bark rigged. 
Numerous large lights are on the sides for 
air and light, and eight coaling ports have 
been provided. Externally the Nourmahal 
is a yacht of grand proportions and rakish 
beauty, capable of all around the world 
explorations, and of strength sufficient to 
laugh at the fitful moods of the ocean. In- 
ternally there is a world of room, supplied 
with every known novelty of approved ex- 
cellence, while the finish, fittings and 
decorations are of a very costly nature and 
magnificent in their exquisite simplicity. 

The Electra w'as designed by Mr. Hill- 
mann to combine strength, speed and con- 
venience, and she was built under the su- 
perintendence of Mr. Gerry and the archi- 
tect, under the rules of the English Lloyds. 
Her dimensions are as follows : deck 
length, 178^ feet; at water-line, 16 1 feet; 
beam, 23 feet; hold, 13X ^eet; draught, 
9^ feet. She is built in the stanchest man- 
ner. Her motive power is a propeller 8 
feet in diameter, with 13 feet pitch, capable 
of 160 revolutions a minute. It is turned 
by an inverted direct-acting compound en- 
gine, with high-pressure cylinder 22 inches 
in diameter, and a low pressure cylinder 
of 40 inches diameter and a stroke of 
piston 26 inches. Steam is generated in 
two cylindrical steel shell boilers, each ii 
feet long, io>4 feet in diameter and sup- 
plied with furnaces 42 inches in diameter. 
The engines and boiler rooms occupy the 


whole width of the vessel and occupy a 
space 50 feet in length, with coal bunkers 
on either side and under the forward cabin 
capable of carrying 100 tons.. The smoke- 
stack is double, and so arranged that a 
pipe from the kitchen connecting therewith 
carries off all the smoke and smell of 
cookery. 

In the engine room are also located the 
engines for running the fifty-eight Edison 
electric lights of 16-candle power each, by 
which the boat is mainly lighted, as well as 
the Edison light of 1 00-candle power at 
the mast-head and the side electric signals; 
the ice machine, which makes 56 pounds a 
day ; an independent condenser, not con- 
nected with the frame of the engine ; 
independent air, circulating and feed 
pumps, as well as an independent steam 
fire and bilge pump, and a blower to blow 
into an air-tight fire room and to aid in 
the proper ventilation of the cabins. 

She has six water-tight bulkheads, and 
all the connecting doors shut water-tight; 
in addition to her steam propelling power, 
she has a schooner rig, with top masts, and 
carries a forestaysail jib, foresail, two gaff 
topsails and a spanker. She also carries 
four boats, including a gig 24 feet long, a 
life boat 21 feet long, and two dingheys 
each 17 feet long. Her gross registry of 
tonnage is 303.98 tons. 

The following is a list of the steam yachts 
built by the Herreshoff Manufacturing 
Company of Bristol, R.I: 

Aida., built 1882, for Mr. Mark Hopkins, 


AMERICAN STEAM YACHTING. 


129 


St. Clair, Mich. Length, 95 feet; breadth, 
12 feet 6 inches; depth, 6 feet 3 inches; 
draught, 4 feet 6 inches; speed, 16 miles 
per hour. 

Camilla, built 1881, for Dr. J. G. Hol- 
land. Length, 60 feet; breath, 9 feet; depth, 
4 feet 7 inches; draught, 3 feet, 5 inches; 
speed, 15 miles per hour. 

Dolphin, built 1879, for Robert Lenox 
Kennedy. Length, 42 feet; breadth, 8 feet 
6 inches; depth, 4 feet; draught, 3 feet;, 
speed, 10 miles per hour. 

Edith, built 1880, .for William Wood- 


Magnolia, built 1883, for Fairman Rog- 
ers, Philadelphia. Length, 99 feet; 
breadth, 17 feet 6 inches; depth, 8 feet 6 
inches; draught, 4 feet; speed, ii^ miles 
per hour. This vessel has twin screws, 
and is the only yacht of this kind in the 
United States. 

Nereid, built 1882, for Jay C. Smith, 
Utica, N.Y. Length, 76 feet; breadth, 12 
feet 6 inches; depth, 6 feet 3 inches; 
draught, 4 feet 6 inches; speed, 14 miles 
per hour. 

Orienta, built 1882, for J. A. Bostwick, 


\ 


“sunbeam” — SIR THUMAS BKASSKY, OWNER. 



ward, Jr., New York. Length, 60 feet; 
breadth, 9 feet 2 inches; depth, 4 feet 7 
inches; draught, 3 feet 5 inches; speed, 15 
miles per hour. 

Gleam, built 1880, for William H. Gra- 
ham, Baltimore. Length, 120 feet; breadth, 
16 feet; depth, 6 feet 5 inches;' draught, 5 
feet 8 inches; speed, 17 miles per hour. 

Idle Hour, built 1879, for B. F. Carver. 
Length, 60 feet; breadth, 9 feet; depth, 4 
feet 7 inches; draught, 3 feet 5 inches; 
speed, 15 miles per hour. 

Juliet, built 1881, for Morris & Jones, 
B-artom-on-the-Sound. Length, 45 feet; 
breadth, 9 feet; depth, 4 feet 3 inches; 
draught, 3 feet; speed, ii miles per hour. 


New York. Length, 125 feet; breadth, 17 
feet; depth, 8 feet 6 inches; draught, 6 feet 
6 inches; speed, 17 miles per hour. 

Ossabaw, built 1883, for Archibald Rog- 
ers, New York. Length, 69 feet; breadth, 
9 feet; depth, 5 feet; draught, 3 feet 6 
inches; speed, 16 miles per hour. 

Fermelia, built 1883, for Mark Hopkins, 
St. Clair, Mich. Length, 100 feet; breadth, 
12 feet 6 inches; depth, 6 feet 6 inches; 
draught, 4 feet 6 inches; speed, 19J4 miles 
per hour. 

Siesta, built 1882, for H. H. Warner, 
Rochester. Length, 98 feet; breadth, 17 
feet; depth, 8 feet 6 inches; draught, 5 
feet 6 inches, speed, miles per hour. 


13 ° 


AMERICAA^ STEAM YACHTING. 


Sinbad, built in 1879, for F. S. de Haute- 
ville, New York. Length, 42 feet; breadth, 
8 feet 8 inches; depth, 3 feet 9 inches; 
draught, 3 feet 2 inches; speed, 10 miles 
per hour. 

Speedwell, built 1876, for Walter Lang- 
don. Length, 45 feet; breadth, 6 feet 9 
inches; depth, 3 feet 3 inches; draught, 2 
feet 8 inches; speed, 12 miles per hour. 

Sp 07 -t, built 1880, for Joseph P. Earl, 
New York. Length, 45 feet; breadth, 8 
feet 2 inches; depth, 3 feet 2 inches; draught, 
I foot 2 inches; speed, 10 miles per hour. 

Marina, built 1884, for G. A. Bech, 
Poughkeepsie, New York. Length, 87 feet; 



PAINTING THE BOAT. 


breadth, 12 feet 6 inches; depth, 7 feet 3 
inches; draught, 5 feet; speed, 14 miles per 
hour. 

Leila, 100 feet by 15 feet, built 1887, for 
William H. Graham, of Baltimore. One en- 
gine, 9 inches and 16 inches by 18 inches; 
Herreshoff coil boiler feet diameter; 
speed, 16 miles an hour. 

Kelpie, 47 feet by 7 feet, built 1878 for 
William H. Graham, of Baltimore. Engine, 
3)4 inches and 6 inches by 7 inches; boiler, 
42 inches diameter, Herreshoff coil; speed, 
12 miles. 

Lucy, same size and description as Dol- 
phin, built for E. S. Birch, New York. 

Lucille, 69 feet by 9 feet, built 1884 for 
Charles Kellogg, of Athens, Penn. Engine, 
6 inches and io)4 inches by 10 inches; 
boiler, Herreshoff patent safety 56 inch 
square; speed, 19 miles. 

Polly, duplicate of the above Lucille, ex- 
cept speed, which was 17 miles; built 1885 
for C. A. Whittier, of Boston, Mass. 


Lucille, go feet by ii )4 feet, engine 8 
inches and 14 inches by 14 inches; boiler, 
Herreshoff safety, 67 inches square; built 
1885 for Charles Kellogg, Athens, Penn.; 
speed, 17 miles. 

Ladoga, 97 feet by 13 feet; engine, 8 
inches and 14 inches by 14 inches; boiler, 
Herreshoff safety, 67 inches square; built 
for George Gordon King, of Newport, 
R.L, 1885. 

Augusta, 55 feet by 6)4 feet, side wheel; 
engine, 6 inches by 24 inches; boiler, Her- 
reshoff coil, 42 inches diameter; built 1882, 
for Charles Kellogg of Athens, Penn.; 
speed, 14 miles. 

Stiletto, 94 feet by 1 1 feet, built for “ H. 
M. Co.”; engine, 12 inches and 21 inches 
by 12 inches; boiler, Herreshoff patent 
safety, 7 feet square; speed 25 miles; built 
1885. 

In the year 1875, Mr. William Force, of 
Keyport, N.J., built the steam yacht 
Ocea 7 i Getn, for Mr. Rutter, of the Central 
Railroad. She was loi feet long, 12 feet 
beam, and 6 feet draught. Tonnage, 
112.83. This was a very successful vessel, 
and gave entire satisfaction to her owner. 
She is one of the best of the trunk cabin 
class. 

The following steam yachts were built by 
firms whose principal business is in freight 
and passenger vessels: 

Messrs. Ward, Stanton & Co., of New- 
burgh, built three of the most successful 
steam yachts in the fleet. 

The Vedette, built for Mr. Phillips Phoe- 
nix, in the year 1878. Length, 123 feet; 
breadth, 18 feet 5 inches; depth, q feet 8 
inches; tonnage, 191.83. 

The Polynia, built in 1881. Length, 154 
feet 5 inches; breadth, 18 feet 5 inches; 
depth, II feet 6 inches; draught, 9 feet 8 
inches, for Mr. James Gordon Bennett, and 
the Namomia built in 1882. Length, 226 
feet 10 inches; breadth, 26 feet; depth, 15 
feet 2 inches; draught, 14 feet 3 inches, for 
the same gentleman. 

This firm, I believe, built several other 
yachts, and they furnished the machinery 
for some of Mr. Lorillard’s vessels. They 
had a high reputation for their machinery, 
and especially for boilers. 

The Wanda, built in 1885 by Messrs. 
Piepgras & Pine, at Williamsburgh. Length, 
138 feet; breadth, 18 feet; depth, ii feet; 
draught, 10 feet 2 inches. This vessel has 
great speed, and with the alterations now 
making, is expected to be the fastest boat 
of her size in American waters. 

The Ldeal, owned by Theo. A. Have- 


AMERICAN STEAM YACHTING. 


131 



“aiDA,” owned by W. P. DOUGLAS, NEW YORK YACHT CLUB. 


myer and Hugo Fritsch was built at 
Williamsburgh, by J. B. Van Deuson, 
and was launched September 9, 1873. 
Length, 130 feet; water-line no feet; 
keel, 105 feet; beam, 20 feet 2 inches; depth 
of hold, 8 feet ; draught, 6 feet; schooner rig, 
145 tons ; engine built Yale Iron Works, 
New Haven, Conn., two vertical act- 
ing cylinder 16 inches by 14 inches ; surface 
condenser boiler 12 feet by ii feet by 6 
feet 7 inches ; engine condemned and taken 
out and new single engine put in ; cylinder 
20 inches by 22 inches, by Delamater & 
Co., 1874. Lost, 1884, on the coast of 
Maine. 

The Ripple., paddle steamer of the river 
steamer type, built at Port Jefferson, L.L, 
for C. A. Chesebrough, of Northport, 
L.L, is used for cruising wdth his family 
in Southern waters during the winter. 
Length, 118 feet; water-line, no feet; 
beam, 26 feet 3 inches; depth of hold, 6 feet ; 
draught, 4 feet ; engine built by Quintard 
Iron Works, New York, 1880; cylinder in- 
clined direct acting (ferry-boat style), 22 


inches by 60 inches, boiler 12 feet by 8 feet, 
70 horse power, 85 5 i-iooths tons, schooner 
rigged. 

Wave (iron), B. F. Lopen, 1864, built in 
Philadelphia by Reamy & Neafie. Length, 
87 feet ; 19 feet 6 inches beam ; 7 feet depth 
of hold, 5 feet draught ; two cylinder high- 
pressure 12 inches by 18 inches ; propeller, 
80 68-iooths tons now owned in Philadel- 
phia. 

The America, Henry N. Smith, built by 
Henry Steers, at Greenpoint, and launched 
March i, 1873. Length, 189 feet; water-line, 
183 feet 6 inches ; keel, 177 feet ; beam, 27 
feet; depth of hold, 14 feet 6 inches; draught, 
12 feet; two cylinders, direct acting, 33 
inches by 33 inches; boiler, length, 29 feet 
3 inches by 13 feet by ii inches, low-pres- 
sure engine, built by Fletcher Harrison & 
Company, New York; tonnage, 730, now 
owned by the Navy Department, and named 
the Dispatch. 

I have had numerous inquiries from 
gentlemen who contemplate owning a steam 
yacht, as to the expense of running such a 



“ORIENTA,” OWNED BY J. A. BOSTWICK, AMERICAN YACHT CLUB. 



132 


AMERICAN STEAM YACHTING. 


vessel, and 1 consequently now give them 
the benefit of my experience on this 
subject. 

'I’he expense of running a steamer de- 
pends on a number of circumstances. In 
the first place, the cost varies with the size 
of the vessel. A steam launch 40 to 50 
feet long requires a pilot, an engineer, and 
one deck hand, d'he wages of these ought 
to be $60 a month for the first two, and 


scribed in the beginning of this article, 
there would be required, in addition to the 
hands mentioned above, a stoker at $40, 
a cook at $40 (or any higher rate, as the 
proprietor might choose), a steward at $50, 
two additional deck hands at $30. Then 
the pilot and engineer would have to be of 
a higher class, requiring $80 each, and 
thus raising the monthly wages to $380. 
I'he commissariat would cost at least as 



THE officers’ ROOM, BY BOURGAIN. 


!|!3o for the last — making $150 a month. 
As owners do not usually live on board 
of such a craft, there would be no expense 
for provisions, except for the board of the 
men which might cost $75. Then coal would 
not cost more than $75, and repairs and 
sundries, $50 — making an aggregate of 
$35° per month, or $1,750 for the season of 
five months. To this must be added the an- 
nual refit and clothes for the men, amount- 
ing to say $750 more — making a grand total 
of $2,500. 

For vessels of the second class, as de- 


much more: the coal $200, and repairs and 
sundries, including the men’s uniforms, say 
$540 — making $1,500 a month, or $7,500 for 
the season. To this must be added $2,500 
for laying up and putting in commission — 
making a grand total of $10,000. 

Vessels of the third class cost very little 
more than the above, requiring, perhaps, 
an assistant engineer and one more deck 
hand, perhaps a mate, thus increasing the 
total by a couple of thousand dollars. 

I now come to vessels of the largest class, 
which require altogether a different scale 



AMERICAN STEAM YACHTING. 


133 



\ 


KADHA,” J. M. SEYMOUR, OWNER, AMERICAN YACHT CLUR. 


of expense from the others. Such ships as the 
Nourmahal and Atalanta carry a complete 
crew with first and second mates, first and 
second engineers, double sets of oilers, 
stokers, deck hands, assistant cooks, numer- 
ous stewards, etc. etc. Some of these 
vessels have been in commission all the 
year round, and the annual expense of 
keeping them up must be quite serious. 

Such vessels as the Corsair and Stranger 
need not cost much more than the vessels 
of the third class mentioned above. The 
crew of my boat number seventeen all 
told, and my consumption of coal is only 
$350 a month, though I use the boat every 


day, and the fires never go out except on 
Sundays. 

The expense of running a steam yacht 
may be kept within very reasonable bounds, 
or it may be increased indefinitely, accord- 
ing to the way in which it is done. Any 
one entertaining largely will, of course, 
run up an important sum for the commis- 
sariat, but this I do not consider a legitimate 
part of the expense of yachting. A 
yachtsman owning a cottage at Newport 
might entertain at his house instead of his 
yacht, and spend the same amount, but it 
would not then appear as an item in his 
yachting expenses. 



rOLYNlA,” W. H, STARBUCK, OWNER. 


STILETTO,” BUILT BY HERRESHOFF. 



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'34 








“ NAMOUNA,” JAMES GORDON BENNETT, OWNER. 




✓ 




4 



136 


AMERICAN STEAM YACHTING. 


I may, therefore, estimate the expense of 
keeping a steam yacht as follows: First- 
class launches, $2,500; second-class trunk 
cabin vessels, $7,500 to $10,000; third-class, 
flush deck vessels, $10,000 to 1 2,000; fourth- 


Steam yachting is increasing in favor 
year by year, and there is every indication 
that it is destined in the near future to be 
the leading style of yachting in American 
waters. From very small beginnings, some 





class such as the Corsair and Stranger 
$15,000. 'I'he very large vessels, such as 
the Namouna, Atalanta, and Nourmahal, 
I have no means of estimating.* 

* Mr. Townsend Percy has expressed, on the whole, the 
most authoritative opinion in this matter, and we beg to repro- 
duce It here from the N. Y. World of November 8, 1885. As 
he has chosen his examples from among the extremely 
rich yachtsmen, our friends need not be unduly discour- 
aged. — Ei). 

The sailors and firemen receive on the average about 
$30 a month, which is more than is paid on steamers 
in the merchant service, in addition to the fact that 


thirty years since, it has grown in magni- 
tude, until w'e now have a fleet of vessels 
varying in length from 40 to 250 feet, and 
in size from 10 to 1,300 tons. Judging 

they are much better fed and housed than in sea-going 
steamers. Yachtsmen, therefore, have the pick of the seamen 
and most of their employ^ are Scandinavians. Mates re- 
ceive from $45 to $ioo per month, and engineers the same, 
while soiling-masters or captains get from $ioo to $200 per 
month. 

The steward gets from $60 to $100 a month, and the cabin 
waiters the same as the sailors. In the galley, the assistant 
cooks arc paid from $40 to $60 per month, but what the chief 




THK BKIDGR. 

(Drawn by Bourgain.) 


f 


9 


s 


*37 






138 AMERICAN STEAAf YACHTING. 




► • 


from the progress made in this pastime 
thus far, we may confidently expect to see 
a fleet of a hundred steam yachts before 
another five years have elapsed, and that 
the enthusiasm for this style of yachting 
will far outrun that for the old-fashioned 
sailing craft. In the near future, the prob- 
ability is that every gentleman residing 
during the summer within thirty miles of 
New York, on the shores of the Hudson or 
East River, will have his steam yacht in 
which to sail to and from the city. There 
is no other mode of traveling to compare 
to it for pleasure and healthfulness. I may 
here quote the remark of the proprietor of 
one of the finest of the fleet, when the im- 

gets is usually a secret, which the cook is too discreet, and the 
master ashamed, to disclose. The yachts’ crews varj^ from 
eight to fifty men, according to her size and the service she 
does, and the ship’s pay-roll from $400 a month to $2,500. 
Add to this the cost of fuel, at about $4 a ton, and repairs, 
engineer’s supplies, such as waste, oil, tools, etc., deck supplies 
in the way of canvas, cordage, and the like, and the cost of 
feeding the crew, at an average of at least a dollar a day per 
head, and the furnishing of the cabin table, and it will be 
readily understood that the amusement is only within the 
reach of millionaire. Take, for example, the Namouna, owned 
by James Gordon Bennett, carrying a crew of fifty men ; her 
pay-roll is at least $2,500 a month. Always in commission, 
the cost of feeding her crew is at least $1,500 a month. Coal 
and supplies, repairs and the lavishly-supplied table and 
wine locker of Mr. Bennett, who entertains large parties on 
her, regardless of cost, and $150,000 a year is a moderate esti- 
mate of her expenses. 

Mr, Gould does not entertain as lavishly, but his expenses 


mense cost of his vessel was alluded to, 
“ My yacht, it is true, has cost a large sum, 
but it is worth every dollar of it. It has 
made a new man of me. Before I built it, 
I was constantly suffering from dyspepsia 
and other troubles arising from too close 
attention to business. Now I am a well 
man.” 

In concluding these very cursory and 
imperfect remarks, I can only testify to the 
unrivaled pleasure and healthfulness of 
this pastime, and I cordially recommend all 
who are able to “ Join the glad throng that 
goes steaming along,” and thus partake of 
its satisfaction. 

E. S. J affray. 

cannot be less than $6,000 per month, and Mr. Astor’s Nour~ 
mahal will only fall short of the expenses of the Namouna, 
and must be $8,000 to $10,000 a month. E. S. Stokes, who 
only uses the Fra Diavolo a few months in the year, spends. 
$20,000 a season on her. 

Mr. Edwin D. Morgan’s tour of the world in the Amy cost 
a fortune ; her five months’ trip is estimated to have absorbed 
at least $50,000. A yacht under a 100 feet long cannot be kept 
up, even with economy, for less than $1,000 per month, and 
on most of them at least twice that amount is spent, and 
this without counting the interest on the money invested, or 
the annual depreciation in the value of the property. 

Pierre Lorillard sold the Rhada to Mr. J. M. Seymour for 
$60,000, and it must cost $3,000 a month to keep her afloat, and 
the same is probably true of all yachts of her size. As an old- 
time yachtsman observed, I don'^t know which will eat a man 
up the quickest, an extravagant wife or a steam yacht, but 
think of a rich man with both. 




BRITISH YACHTING. 



139 



BRITISH YACHTING. 


BY C. J. C. MCALISTER. 


Immediately succeeding the prosaic 
and practical period of the Common- 
wealth, amongst the numerous sports and 
pastimes which Charles II. introduced to 
amuse his subjects, long tired of the re- 
straints of the Puritan rule, was the sailing 
of pleasure-boats in trials of speed, on the 
Thames near Lambeth. The Merrie Mon- 
arch himself apparently evinced consider- 
able interest in these aquatic contests, 
which were amongst the most manly and 
healthful amusements of an essentially 
effeminate period of English history ; but 
he seems to have utterly failed to succeed 
in inducing the lords and ladies of his 
luxurious court to appreciate a pastime at- 
tended frequently with so many minor in- 
conveniencies as must have resulted from 
the climatic conditions under which boat- 
sailing was and is practised during the 
short and uncertain season of an English 


summer. Towards the close of his reign 
these regattas, inaugurated with the Re- 
storation, which furnish the first record of 
English yachting, were discontinued alto- 
gether. The pastime, as now indulged in, 
is an institution of comparatively recent 
date. The first club was formed in 1720, 
at Queenstown, Ireland, under the title of 
the Cork Harbour Water Club, which is 
now known as the Royal Cork Yacht Club. 
It was not till 1812 that the sister island 
followed the example through some forty 
gentlemen establishing a similar associa- 
tion at the Isle of Wight, known as “ The 
Yacht Club,” which continued steadily to 
increase in membership and importance 
until 1820, when it attracted the attention 
of William IV., then Duke of Clarence, 
who ordered that it should henceforth be 
styled ‘‘The Royal Yacht Club,” and a 
few years after his accession to the throne 



GALATEA, 




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BiSBS 


YAdli SIA'HONS of IKU UKlTlSfl ISLUS. 


/>VvV Tisn ) V/CV/ TING. 


43 


he expressed a wish that it should assume hundred guinea purses. When any inis- 
its present title, “ 'i'he Royal Yacht Stpiad- understantling with ICngland’s maritime 
ron,” as “ a token of his approval of an neighbors led to a declaration of war, 
institution of such national utility.” there were Spanish or Dutch or l''rench 

Doubtless long prior to the establish- merchantmen, or occasionally a man-of- 
ment of yacht clubs or the introduction of war of the smaller class, to be sailed after 



the Dutch term “yacht,” there existed am- 
ple opportunities for those who had the 
means and inclination to indulge in ama- 
teur aquatic pursuits. The ve.ssels were 
then called brigs, and sloops, and luggers, 
and in the older days they freciuently sailed 
for richer prizes than Queen’s cups, or 


and captured, if the predecessor of the 
modern yacht possessed sufficient speed, 
and carried a crew strong enough to boaril 
the enemy and bring her back in triumph 
to an I'iiiglish seaport. 

Since 1820, and more particularly dur- 
ing the past thirty years, yachting associa- 











/y /v'/ 77 .S 7 / VA cn TING. 


tions have made rapid strides in numbers, 
strength, and popularity. 'I'here are now 
over fifty “Royal or recognized” yacht 
clubs distributed around the coasts of the 
United Kingdom, and one at the Channel 
Islands, To these may be added some 
fourteen minor associations formed by 
members owning only the smaller class of 
craft. 'J’he following figures, which have 
been compiled up to date, will give .some 
idea of the importance of the British plea- 
sure-fleet, as regards numbens, rig, and 
tonnage : — 


Ton- 

Rijf. Numbers. nage. 

Cultcrs 1, 008 i5.°59 

Schooners 285 29,826 

Yawls 437 16,566 

Steamers 534 53i542 

Sloops 57 269 

Luggers 55 167 

Ketchs 5 261 

IJrignntincs 3 >1229 

Wherries 5 42 

Urig I 141 

Total 2,480 117,102 


The “national rig,” as the cutter is re- 
garded amongst British yachtsmen, is at 
present more i}opular for racing, and also 
with boats under forty tons, for cruising, 
than it has ever previously been. This rig 
appears to have been considered best by 
racing yachtsmen prior to the advent of 


the America^ in 1851; but her famous per- 
formance in English waters had the effect 
of turning the attention of designers to the 
merits of the schooner rig, which for many 
years became fashionable both for racing 
and cruising craft. In fact, it was only a 
few seasons ago that at many of the prin- 
cipal contests, schooners were found in the 
majority; but year by year, they have been 
.steadily losing ground. Last season there 
was only one, the Miranda, that entered in 
the first class matches, open to all rigs, and 
this year she, also, has hauled down her 
“ fighting flag ” and joined the ranks of 
the ex-racers and cruisers. Judging solely 
by the evidence afforded through Euro- 
pean yacht-racing during recent years, the 
cutter rig has undoubtedly proved the 
most Weatherly, faster in reaching, and 
with the assistance of a spinaker, quite 
able to hold its own with the schooner on 
a dead run to leeward. Few new schoon- 
ers are now being built, and although their 
aggregate tonnage is still considerable, 
there has been a falling off in their number 
in the course of the past two seasons, to the 
extent of fifty-five vessels, while during the 
same period cutters have very considerably 
increased. The yawl rig is found con- 
venient for cruising, as by its adoption the 



% 






T. ' V. A': 


MIRANDA. 


BRITISH YACHTING. 


145 


heavy main boom is very much modified, $13,000,000, and independent of amateurs, 
and consequently a yawl of the same size the number of paid hands required by the 
as a cutter can be handled by a smaller yachts is close upon 12,000 men. 'I'hese 
crew. Sloops have never been popular in are probably the smartest seamen to be 



England, and the few that are now sailed found sailing under the British flag; they 
are only craft of the smallest size. are in fact a distinct class, and differ 

The capital sunk in the British pleasure materially from the ordinary fishermen 
fleet is estimated to amount to over and the crews who man the vessels of 


146 


BRITISH YACHTING. 


merchant service. The latter exhibit an 
embarrassing want of confidence in the long, 
low, heavily sparred yacht as she lists un- 
der a crowd of canvas, till the white water 
is rushing two or three planks deep over 
her lee deck, and sending clouds of spray 
from her weather bow, every time she 
meets the broken crest of a wave, and in her 
haste appears to have forgotten to curtsey 
to it. The merchant sailor who may have 
been shipped on an odd occasion as an 
“ extra hand ” on board a racing craft ex- 
presses his objections to yacht racing with 
a candor and emphasis charactistic of his 
profession. Accustomed to a large vessel, 
.standing high out of the water, he finds 
himself on board a craft with bare decks 
and but little free-board. On the latter he 
asserts that he is “ always too near the 
water and frequently actually in it.” On 


the other hand the yachtsman who has 
been all his life used to such conditions of 
sailing, feels himself perfectly at home. 
He knows his vessel to be well and strongly 
built, and ballasted to the nicety of an 
ounce; that her gear is the best that money 
can provide, and that his mates are, one 
and all, to be implicitly depended upon 
for courage and coolness in any emergency 
which may unexpetedly arise. He fully 
appreciates the chances of a spar or some 
portion of the gear carrying away, and he 
knows that he may frequently have to spend 
a considerable number of minutes on a 
stretch, up to his waist in water, in the lee 
scuppers, or out on the end of the bowsprit 
in a seaway. These are merely incidents he 
is aware he must look forward to, and when 
they are passed he reflects cheerfully that 
“ they all come in the course of a day’s 



ulediaJ 



"CAKLOTTA. 


work.” British yachtsmen of to-day are 
the result of a long and careful process of 
selection. They are recruited from 
amongst the smartest members of the fish- 
ing and other seaside portions' of the popu- 
lation. They must be steady in nerve, and 
strong in arm, cool and self-reliant, and 
amenable to a discipline which is more the 
out-come of intelligence and mutual con- 
fidence than any hard and fast rules or 
regidations. In the winter season some 
may, as they term it, “ go steamboating ” 
for a trip or two, but they far more fre- 
quently, at their native villages, wile away 
the time with a little fishing or piloting, 
till the spring comes round and brings 


with it their season of activity and adven- 
ture. 

Yacht racing has long been a popular 
form of sport around the seaports of the 
United Kingdom,and a considerable amount 
of money is annually awarded by the various 
yacht clubs in the form of prizes, l.ast 
year, in addition to numerous cups, money 
jirizes to the extent of $62,630 were com- 
peted for. I'he Anttn'ea's succe.sses had 
unquestionably the effect of stimulating 
interest in the pastime, although in attempt- 
ing to copy her lines many mistakes were, 
in the first instance, made by British 
builders, but the lessons she taught yacht 
sailors in the art of setting canvas had 


148 


BRITISH YACHTING. 


never been forgotten. A great revolution 
has during recent years been brought about 
by the introduction of out-side lead as bal- 
last, which enables the vessels to carry 
heavier spars with a largely increased sail 
area. 

The most famous British racing yachts 
of the first class, viz. sixty tons and over, 
comprise the yawls Wendur and Lorna, 
and the cutters Irex, Galatea, Marjorie, 
Genesta, and Marguerite. The Lorna, 
now four years old, succeeds in holding her 
own pretty fairly with the cutters. The 
Wendur, designed by Watson and built 
two years ago, is considered by many to be 
the fastest yacht of the fleet. She is built of 
steel and had seventy-five tons of lead run 
into the bottom of her keel. As yet she 
has been but little raced, and although she 
has more than once proved her speed and 
Weatherly qualties, in the best society, she 
has been singularly unfortunate in the mat- 
ter of carrying spars, and losing her leads, 
through unfavorable shifts of wind. The 
Marjorie is another design of Watson, and 
was built the same season as the Wendur. 


She belongs to the owner who sent the 
little ten-ton Madge to America, on the 
deck of an Atlantic liner, some years 
ago. The Irex was a new boat last season, 
and has proved herself, in every respect, a 
fast and powerful cutter. The Galatea is 
one of the present season’s additions to the 
racing fleet. She was designed by Richard- 
son, but has so far done little to distinguish 
herself, as her skipper appears not yet to 
have been able to find her trim. Mar- 
guerite, another design of Richardson’s, has 
been sailing remarkably well during the 
present season, while the merits of Genesta 
are now as well known on one side of the 
Atlantic as the other. In the second, or 
forty-ton class, Tara, with a breadth of 
less than one-sixth of her length, built from 
Webb’s design, has had all the best of the 
racing in her own class this season, besides 
on several occasions in light weather saving 
her time from the crack representative o'f 
the first-class division. Watson, with Clara 
and Ulerine, has designed the two most 
successful racing boats in the twenty and 
ten-ton classes, and Baton's little three-ton 



DAWN. 


BRITISH YACHTING. 


149 


cutter Currytush, with even less beam in 
proportion to length, than Tara, has proved 
herself exceptionally fast in all conditions 
of weather.* 

The expenses of sailing a racing craft 


• Name. 

Rig. 

c : 
0 : 
H 

Length. 

Beam. 

1 Depth. 

Designer. 

Date. 

Wendiir 

Yawl.... 


102 

17.9 

15.9 

14-3 

II -3 

Watson 

1883 

1881 

Loma 

90 

83.4 

Nicholson. . 

Miranda 

Schooner. 

139 

92-5 

18.8 

12.7 

Harvey 

1876 

Irex 

Cutter.. ; 

85 


iS-i 

II -3 

Richardson. 

1884 

Marguerite. . . 

(( 

63 

13.6 

10 

Richardson. 

1884 

Marjorie 

4 t 

72 

79 

14-5 

ii .6 

Watson 

1883 

Galatea 

Tara.. 

(4 

t( 

91 

40 

8s 

90.6 
70.9 

85.6 

IS 

II .6 

13.2 
10. 1 

Richardson. 
Webb 

1885 

1883 

1884 

Genesu 

<( 

15 

II. 9 

Webb 

Clara 

44 

20 

57 

9.1 

8.5 

Watson .... 

1884 

Ulerine 

44 

10 

43-2 

7-3 

7 

Watson 

1884 

Currytush.. . . 

44 

3 

31-7 

4.9 

5 

Paton ...... 

1884 


are in every respect 'much heavier than a 
cruising boat of similar tonnage. The cost 
of building and equipping a ninety-ton cutter 
of the modern type is $35,000, and in this 
estimate no allowance whatever is made for 
cabin fittings, as it merely includes hull, 
spars, sails, gear, and ballast. The outlay 
in racing a yacht of this size during the 
four months' season will amount to quite 
$10,000. Wages are not a very serious 
item, considering the class of seamen whose 
services may be secured. The usual weekly 
scale is master, $12 to $15; mate, $9; and 
seamen, $6 50. The crew find their own 
provisions, but it is usual for the owner to 
supply clothes, which cost for master, »$5o; 
mate, $30; and seamen, $18. These clothes 
are really a livery, and legally belong to 



CONSTAKCTt. 



BRI TISJI YA CM TING. 


150 



the owner, but it is generally the custom 
to allow the men to keep them at the end 
of the season. In a racing boat, in addition 
to the regular wages, the skipper receives 
ten per cent, upon the amount of the sea- 
son’s winnings, and the men are allowed 
$5 for every first prize secured. 

The Yacht Racing Association® was 
formed in 1875, the object being to provide 

Yacht Racing Association’s method of measuring ton- 
nage. — “ The tonnage of every yacht entered to sail in a race 
shall be ascertained in the manner following : The length 
shall be taken in a straight line from the fore end to the after 
end of the load water-line, provided always that if any part of 
the stem or stem post, or other part of the vessel below the 
load water-line, project beyond the length taken as mentioned, 
such projection or projections shall, for the purposes of find- 
ing the tonnage, be added to the length taken as stated ; and 
any form cut out of the stem or stem post, with the intention 
of shortening the load water-line, shall not be allowed for in 
the rneasurement of length, if at or immediately below the 
load line, nor above it within six inches of the water level ; 
the breadth shall be taken from the outside to outside of the 
planking in the broadest part of the yacht, and no allowance 
shall be made for wales, doubling planks, or mouldings of any 
kind ; add the length to the breadth and multiply the sum 
thus obtained by itself and by the breadth ; then divide the 
product by 1730, and the quotient shall be the tonnage jp tons 
and hundredths of a ton.’^ 


one code of sailing rules in all matches, and 
to decide such disputes as may be referred to 
the council. This association in fact bears 
the same relation to yachting as the Jockey 
Club does to horse racing. There is, how- 
ever, one important difference between the 
two pastimes. British yachtsmen have not 
yet learned to demoralize their favorite sport 
by laying wagers upon the results of races. 
The yacht-racing season commences to- 
wards the close of May, but the nights and 
mornings are still chilly and the bleak east 
winds linger with sufficient force to render 
life comparatively miserable. Although 
matches and regattas are arranged to 
take place at all the yachting stations dur- 
ing the season, there is one round in par- 
ticular, as indicated upon the chart, which 
is regarded as including all the best sport 
of the year. For this cruise, which is 
usually attended by all the fastest and 
newest boats of the racing fleet, besides a 


BRITISH YACHTIHG. 


151 



V\\\\\\^V 


'Wwv 


considerable number of cruisers whose 
owners take an interest in the contests be- 
tween the crack vessels ; the yachts assem- 
ble on the estuary of the Thames, off 
Gravesend, Erith and Southend. There is 
good and safe holding ground, but the 
river in its lower reaches neither furnishes 
picturesque scenery nor, owing to numerous 
sand banks, narrow channel and crowded 
traffic, a satisfactory*" course for fairly test- 
ing the respective merits of the competing 
vessels. After some half-dozen matches, 
sailed under the auspices of the numerous 
yacht clubs, with stations in this neighbor- 
hood, June opens with a channel match 
from Southend, at the northeast entrance 
of the river, over a course of forty-five 
miles, to Harwich. This portion of the 
Essex coast, which is passed, is low, bare 
and uninteresting, but Harwich itself well 
repays a visit. It is an old-world port with 
no trade, and bears all the appearance of 
having been asleep for the past hundred 
years. But Harwich is a place with a his- 


tory. The pilot who guided the fleet of 
little ships in which Julius Csesar crossed 
from the coast of Gaul to Britain fifty-five 
years before Christ is said to have been a 
Harwich man, and here during all the time 
of the Roman occupation a strong hold 
was maintained to repel the attacks of the 
Danes and Saxons ; and it was from Har- 
which that Edward III. embarked in 1338 
on board a fleet of 500 sail manned with 
archers and slingers on his first expedition 
against France ; and during later years 
the English had many a stout encounter 
with the Dutch and French fleets within 
sight of this quaint old Essex port. Th 
place itself to-aay bears far more the as- 
pect of a Dutch than an English town. 
There is the level coast line, and dykes, 
and wind-mills, and red-tiled houses, that 
one is accustomed to look for only in Hol- 
land. Here, within the estuary of the 
Stour and Orwell rivers, the Royal Harwich 
Yacht Club provide an excellent day’s 
sport over a course where the breeze blows 


152 


BRITISH YACHTING. 


steadily above the low shores, and the tides 
are not sufficiently strong to interfere with 
fair sailing. 

Southwards the fleet returns past the 
mouth of the Thames on a channel match 
to the headquarters of the Royal Cinque 
Ports Yacht Club at Dover. Most people 
who have visited Europe are familiar with 
all that is of interest in connection with this 
comparatively modern Kentish port. The 
course is right out in the channel, and is 
usually sailed over in a strong breeze with 
a lumpy sea, which the cross-tides create. 
The white cliffs and the old castle are per- 
haps best seen from the bay, but even they 


render anxious moments for the smartest 
crews. There is no really good racing to 
be obtained here, as from beginning to end 
of a match it is generally only a matter of 
working the tides. Many of the cruising 
boats, and frequently a few of the racers, 
instead of venturing up the Mersey run 
over to the Isle of Man, and, weather per- 
mitting, come to anchor for a day or two 
in Douglas Bay. The Manx capital during 
the summer season is a bright and cheerful 
little town, and there are interesting trips 
to be undertaken in different directions 
over the island during the short stay. 
Northwards the racing fleet steer to Mor- 



“ DIANE,” 


will hardly induce the yachtsman to wish 
to prolong his stay beyond the two days 
occupied with the regatta. F rom Dover the 
fleet have before them the longest trip of 
the cruise. Away down the English chan- 
nel to the westward, round Land’s End and 
up St. George’s channel to Liverpool. The 
Mersey is only known to most yachtsmen 
to be avoided. In the course arranged by 
the Royal Mersey Yacht Club, the start 
takes place just abreast of the Princess’ 
Landing Stage, associated in the minds of 
most Americans only with their arrival or 
departure from Europe. The strong tide 
which rushes in and out of the Sloyne, and 
the crowd of vessels anchored in the stream, 


cambe Bay, to attend the regatta of the 
Royal Barrow Yacht Club. The town is 
merely a manufacturing place of very recent 
growth, but it is a convenient point from 
which to reach Furness Abbey and the 
charming scenery of the English Lake dis- 
trict. From Barrow a course is shaped 
round the Mull of Galloway and up the 
estuary of the Clyde. It is high midsummer 
by the time the fleet reach Scottish waters, 
and during the whole course of the short 
night in these high latitudes, the daylight 
never quite fades from the sky. 

During a somewhat varied experience, I 
have spent nights on the Bosphorus, and 
sailed under the Eastern moonlight up the 


BRITISH YACHTING. 


Golden Horn. Many a night has been 
passed under the shade of the palm trees, 
in the coral lagoons of the South Sea 
Islands, watching the flashing torches of 
the native fishermen. From the entrance 
to the Golden Gate I have seen the sun 


waters flash pink and yellow under the re- 
flection of the fading sunset, or the first 
rays of the sunrise, and the peaks of the 
Arran and Bute Mountains loom — tinted 
with dreamy purple and blue — against the 
bright hues of the western clouds. No- 



BUTTERCUP, 


sink into the broad Pacific, and I have ex- 
perienced the pleasure of steering an open 
boat by moonlight up the head-waters of 
comparatively unknown rivers in New 
Zealand ; but nowhere have I so thor- 
oughly enjoyed the witching hours as whilst 
yachting during the soft midnight light, on 
the estuary of the Clyde. The land-locked 


where around the British coasts is yachting 
regarded with keener enthusiasm than by 
the dwellers on the shores of the Clyde. 
The numerous yacht clubs provide a 
lengthened programme of events, which 
usually occupy the best portion of two 
weeks ; but the shores of the Scottish river 
are much too high and picturesque to per- 


J54 


BRITISH YACHTING. 


mit the breezes to blow as steadily as every 
one could wish, in the interest of fair sail- 
ing, and many a good topmast has come to 
grief before the sudden and unexpected 
gusts that come sweeping down the glens. 

From the Clyde the fleet cross to Ban- 
gor, lielfast Lough, which is the first Irish 
part touched on the cruise. Here two 
days have been arranged by the Royal 
Ulster Yacht Club over one of the best 
courses in the United Kingdom. Bangor 
is a modern and badly laid out seaside re- 
sort ; but on the opposite side of the lough 
the gray old castle of Carickfergus bears 
testimony to many a hard fight, in days 
gone by, between the Scotch and Irish 
chieftains. On departing, a southerly 
course is followed by the fleet to Kings- 
town, Dublin Bay, where the St. Oeorge’s, 
Royal Irish, and Royal Alfred Yacht Clubs 
provide a sufficient number of matches to 
involve a week’s stay. There are only two 
conditions of weather which appear to usu- 


ally prevail in Dublin Bay during regatta 
time. One is a flat calm, and the other a 
strong southeast breeze, which sends a great 
rolling sea into the bay, which makes lively 
times for the smaller craft in sailing over 
the exposed course. The next port made 
for is Mumbles, on the Bristol Channel, 
where several days’ racing is given by the 
Bristol Channel Yacht Club ; and then the 
fleet round Land’s End again to h'almouth, 
where they race for the prizes given by 
the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club. These 
matches are immediately followed by the 
regatta of the Royal Western Club, at 
Plymouth. There is no prettier course in 
English waters than the one sailed out 
through old Plymouth Sound. The area 
within the breakwater is close upon twenty- 
five miles, bounded on the west by the 
richly-wooded heights of Mount Edge- 
cumbe, and on the east by Mount Batten 
and the Wembury cliffs. The Hoe, an 
eminence near the town, is where the stout 



TARA. 


BIUTISJI YACHTING. 


155 



old English admiral, Sir Francis Drake, 
was engaged in playing a game of bowls 
when he received intelligence of the ap- 
proach of the Spanish armada. Some of 
the ships entered the sound, and their ad- 
miral, the Duke of Medina Sidonia, is said 
to have been so much pleased with the sit- 
uation of Mount Edgecumbe that he deter- 
mined to make it his residence when the 
forces under his command had conquered 
England. Sir Francis persisted in quietly 
finishing his game of bowls ; putting to 
sea with the little English fleet, to play the 
sterner game, which — with the help of a 
storm — ended in the destruction of the 
Spanish ships. On regatta days the Hoe. 
is crowded with a concourse of people, who 
look down on the same land-locked water 
that harbored the little hundred-and-eighty- 


ton Mayflower before she shook out her 
sails to the breeze, just about 300 years 
ago, to start upon her memorable voyage 
to the shores of New England. 

The next event of importance for the 
racing fleet is the regatta of the Royal 
Yacht Squadron at Cowes. This is by 
many regarded as the great aquatic carni- 
val of the year. Nevertheless, the racing 
is usually of the tamest possible descrip- 
tion, as for several of the events — notably, 
the race for the Queen’s Cup — members 
only are permitted to enter. This club is 
perhaps the least representative of all the 
yachting associations in England, and if 
the interests of the pastime were left solely 
in its hands, yachting would have sunk to a 
low ebb indeed. The members form a 
curious combination of “swells” and 


156 


BRITISH YACHTING. 


“ snobs.” The former, with the Prince of 
Wales at their head as commodore, are 
generally smart yachtsmen, but the latter, 
unfortunately, preponderate, which proba- 
bly accounts for the curious manner in 
which the affairs of the club are managed. 
The Royal Squadron appears to be re- 
garded rather in the light of a joke by the 
members of the exclusively aristocratic, but 
more enterprising associations. Sir Rich- 
ard Sutton belongs to this club, but the 
Genesta is the only boat out of the entire 
fleet that would have the faintest chance in 
a race open to all comers. Cowes is gay 
enough during regatta week. To the right 
of the bay is the club-house, a queer little 
gray, ivy-clad building, that looks as if it 


had been built as a model for some im- 
portant establishment, and proved a fail- 
ure. Across the Madina River, on the 
summit of some high, wooded land, is the 
royal residence of Osborne, and out across 
the Solent — which is blue, occasionally, 
when the weather is clear — are the low, 
level shores of the Hampshire mainland, 
and beyond Southampton Water. The 
Solent is frequently well filled with mer- 
chant steamers, men-of-war, and sailing 
vessels, making their way up or down the 
channel ; but as there is plenty of room, 
the races are seldom interfered with by 
their presence. A description of the Solent 
— written eighty odd years ago — describes 
it as being occupied by a very different 



“ egeria/ 


BRITISH YACHT/NG. 


157 


class of craft from those found on its waters 
to-day. “ Coasting schooners, fishing- 
smacks, brave Indiamen, and now and 
then a fighting-ship — king’s, or foreigner, 
and here and there a sullen-looking lugger, 
upon which the smart active men of the 


which is somewhat uncertain during the 
summer, assumes as the autumn days draw 
in, a more defined character for the worse. 

The cruise I have briefly indicated 
would probably prove an attractive outing 
for most American yachtsmen. They 



Yve cl e-ns 

66 


‘ WATER WITCH. 


‘ Rose ’ cutter seem most diligently to wait 
upon, make up the show of shipping.” 

After the termination of the Royal 
Squadron regatta the racing boats are fully 
occupied at the various ports in the imme- 
diate vicinity of the Isle of Wight until 
the close of the season, which takes place 
about a month later, when the weather. 


would be certain of receiving a most cor- 
dial reception and would find the great 
majority of the yacht clubs placed at their 
service during the cruise. An opportunity 
would be afforded them of seeing the 
United Kingdom and its inhabitants from 
a totally different standpoint from that oc- 
cupied by the ordinary tourist. There 


158 


BRITISH YACHTING. 



exists in all parts of the world a certain 
description of Freemasonry amongst yachts- 
men, and nowhere is it more apparent than 
in British waters. The voyage across the 
Atlantic is not a very serious undertaking 


for the larger class of American yachts, 
and the smaller boats can be placed on the 
deck of a steamer and sent over without 
any very serious outlay. To all keel-built 
boats belonging to yacht clubs, the races 



GERTRUDE.’ 


BRITISH YACHTING. 


159 


are open, and the American owner might, 
if his craft prove fast enough, manage to re- 
turn with a whole locker full of silver cups, 
and hundred guinea purses. But there is 
no necessity to race. Abundant interest 
and amusement may be obtained on board 
a cruiser of very moderate tonnage, and if 
it is not convenient to send a boat across, 
plenty of suitable yachts may be hired in 


England at a very reasonable rate per 
month. Sir Richard Sutton’s trip calls for 
a return of the visit, and’, although he was 
unsuccessful in his attempt to win the 
America’s Cup, he will, doubtless, with 
many of his countrymen, be consoled with 
the reflection, “ ’Tis better to have sailed 
and lost than never to have sailed at all.” 


















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